


Hard Feelings

by blevswrites



Category: Riverdale - Fandom
Genre: Betty Cooper - Freeform, F/M, Riverdale, bughead - Freeform, jughead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-23
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2018-12-05 17:23:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 24,166
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11582715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blevswrites/pseuds/blevswrites
Summary: Betty lives with her best friend in an upscale apartment in LA and navigates life and love in a big city.





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> Enjoy chapter one :)

"Honey, I'm home!"

Betty Cooper barely turned her head to see her eager roommate, Veronica, waltz through the front door of their shared upscale apartment in LA. She merely grunted in response, turning her focus to the computer perched on her lap. She didn't even notice Veronica come sit next to her on the sleek leather sofa as her fingers tapped the keyboard at record speed.

"Wrapping up a piece for the times, I presume?" Veronica asked leaning over Betty's shoulder. Betty spent most of her time interning for the local paper, the Los Angeles Times. While she loved to write she absolutely hated the internship. They treat her like she's worthless and give her the absolute worst pieces to write. "Must... meet... deadline- AHA!" Betty said with a satisfying click, leaning back on the couch with relief. "I had been working on that for three and a half hours before you came through that door. It was an interview with a local nobody actress and was so dull. I'm just glad I got it over with." Betty sighed to Veronica.

"B, you seriously have to quit that internship. You hate it there and they treat you like shit." Veronica said, brushing a piece of golden blonde hair behind her best friend's ear. Betty rolled her eyes and perched up beside Veronica. "You say that every time I complain. Only six more months." Betty closed her eyes and sighed yet again. Six more months, she thought. Six more months of absolute hell.

Veronica checked her phone and grinned. "I have something that might make you feel better!" Veronica cheered, pulling her best friend into her luxurious bedroom. "If it's not chipotle and Netflix then it probably won't do much." Betty said. She had a sneaking suspicion she knew what Veronica's special remedy was- more like what it always is. Her suspicions were confirmed when Veronica began pulling clothes out of her color coded closet and handed them to Betty. "Archie is coming over tonight with his new roommate, and I figured maybe you could get some action. Win him over with your stellar cooking skills. And, if everything goes well, some of your other skills..." Veronica trailed off and waggled her eyebrows causing Betty to roll her eyes in response. If she knew anything she knew not to say no to Veronica Lodge.

"Gross, V. I'm not falling into bed with a stranger. That's not really my deal and you know that." Betty said, pulling on a baby pink sweater and some of Veronica's designer jeans. "I know, but I kind of don't know what your deal is. You haven't really been out in a while. Perfect!" Veronica added a chunky necklace and simple silver flats with scalloped detailing. "And I know there's a very valid reason for not getting out, but B, don't you think it's time?" She said, watching Betty pull her hair up into her signature sleek ponytail.

She doesn't get it, Betty thought. She put a small smile on her face and shrugged curling her fingers into her palms. "You're probably right. But still, stop trying to set me up with Archie's roommate." Betty said, walking to the kitchen with Veronica hot on her trail. She flipped through her recipe book but was interrupted by the shrill ring of her cell phone. Betty peered down at the name and flinched as Veronica squealed excitedly. "Betty get ready, they're heeere!"

"One sec V." Betty heard the flirtatious tone of her best friend greeting Archie as she stepped out on the patio and pressed the accept call button.

"Hi Mom." She said cheerfully, sitting down on the modern white patio furniture Veronica had put out when they first moved in.

"Elizabeth, why haven't you been answering my calls? It's been three weeks since I've last spoken to you." Even though they were miles away, Alice Cooper's cold tone made Betty shiver.

"I've been super busy with the paper, and-"

"Have you been taking your medicine? Watching what you're eating? Diet is extremely important especially as you get older." Her mother said. Betty curled her free hand into a tight fist and sighed. "I'm an adult, Mom. A responsible one at that. I can deal with myself." She could feel the anger rising in her chest and let herself continue. "And please, could you only call when you actually care? Not because you feel like pestering me and breathing down my neck?" Betty stopped herself and took a deep breath before continuing. "Now if you'll excuse me I have some guests I need to greet. I know how important being a good hostess is to you. Goodbye, Mother." Betty spit that last part out with an extra dose of sarcasm and fiercely hit the end call button.

Every call her mother made to her was the same thing, so after a while Betty just stopped answering them all together. It wasn't until her mother had started contacting the paper when she realized she should just get the dreaded phone calls over with before they turn into something worse. Betty turned to go back into her apartment when she caught a pair of dark eyes watching her from the other side of the glass door. That must be Archie's roommate, Betty thought, catching his curious gaze. The first thing she noticed was how captivating he was. He was handsome and generally pretty skinny but with some defined muscle. His black locks were hidden under an unusual gray beanie in the shape of a crown, with a few stray curls falling out of the front. She dropped his gaze and walked back in the apartment only to see Veronica pretty much on top of Archie in the velour chair beside their couch. They had been a thing for a couple weeks now and pretty much the only thing on Veronica's mind. Knowing Archie for a while, Betty knows that his treatment of girls hadn't been the greatest in the past, but she could already tell he felt differently about her best friend. Jughead looked awkward on the couch and shot her a knowing, small smile.

"Hey Arch." Betty said with a smile, catching the attention of her star crossed best friends. "Oh hey Betty. What's for dinner? It's been a long day at work so I'm starved." Archie asked. Betty and Archie have been close friends ever since high school and they've been lucky enough to stay in touch throughout the passing years. Archie came out to LA about a year ago to pursue his passion as a musical performance and songwriting instructor, and his career out here had flourished. If only Betty was that lucky.

"What else is new? You always have an appetite." Veronica said with a wink. Betty watched Archie's roommate dramatically suppress an eye roll, eliciting a laugh from Betty. "I know the feeling." Betty said receiving another small smile from the mysterious roommate. "I'm Betty," She said, taking his hand and shaking it politely. "Jughead." He said. He waited for her response and watched as Betty raised her eyebrows slightly. "A weird name for a weird guy. It's quite fitting, actually." Jughead said. Betty laughed slightly, noticing the deep tone of his voice. "Well, I'm off to the kitchen. Can I get you guys anything to drink?" Betty said a little louder in hopes of catching the attention of Archie and Veronica but failing.

"Archie probably wants a beer of some sort. Here, I'll help." Jughead followed Betty into the modern kitchen. "It's alright Jughead, I can deal with it. You can sit back down if you want." She said, pouring herself a heaping glass of red wine. "I don't know if that would be in my best interest." Jughead said, clearing his throat and nodding in the general direction of the living room. Betty followed his gaze only to see Veronica and Archie making out on the chair. "You're probably right." Betty laughed and took a nice long sip of her wine.

Jughead grabbed a Coke out of the fridge and stood awkwardly while Betty began to mix different things together. He watched her long legs move swiftly around the kitchen and her blonde ponytail bounce with her every move. "Do you like tacos?" Betty turned her head away from the pot of what Jughead guessed was taco meat and he caught a glimpse of her striking green eyes. She truly was beautiful.

"I'm up for anything. I always have an appetite." Jughead cringed and Betty laughed, both of them realizing the double meaning that Veronica had heavily emphasized to Archie earlier. "I promise you, that was not intentional." He said as he watched Betty stir the simmering pot.

Jughead leaned back on the counter and tried to block out the sounds coming from the living room. He checked the clock and sighed as he realized it was only 6:53 and had to endure this awkward situation for a couple more hours at least. While he was used to awkward situations, especially dealing with his family, it didn't mean he managed them well.

"Shit. I don't have any taco shells." Betty said. She flipped the dial on the stove to off and turned abruptly to face Jughead. "You up for a quick car ride to the store?"

"Anything to escape them." Jughead said, following Betty out the door of her elegant apartment.


	2. Chapter Two

Betty and Jughead drove in silence for a couple minutes before she attempted to strike up conversation with her newfound friend, if you could even call him that.

"I don't know about Archie, but it was pretty obvious that Veronica was trying to set us up. I love her but that girl is not sly in the slightest bit." Betty admitted sheepishly. She watched as a small smile crept on to Jughead's face, causing him to glow in the most perfect way. Eyes on the road, Betty.

"There's no denying that. Archie didn't even try to hide it." Jughead responded, breaking some of the awkwardness in the cream colored Mini Cooper Betty drove. It was an older car but the first car she had fixed up on her own, which Betty was pretty proud of. She turned into the nearest Whole Foods and parked in a spot close to the entrance. 

"I don't understand where all of the reasonably priced grocery stores went. They disappeared and all of the junk food must've went with them." Jughead said as they watched all kinds of millennials walk in and out of the overpriced grocery chain. "That's what you're in for when you move to LA." Betty said matter of factly, beginning her journey for some shells.

Betty and Jughead quickly found the shells they were looking for and went to stand in line, only to find that the multiple check out lanes had long lines that trailed into the aisles of the store. Betty sighed, falling into what she hoped was the shortest line and attempted to strike up conversation yet again. "So where do you work?" Betty asked, looking into Jughead's eyes awaiting a response. 

"I work at the bookstore on the UCLA campus. I don't hate it. They give me discounted books and a mostly quiet place to write while Archie is at the apartment with some girl." He said. "You're a writer? What do you write?" Betty asked cheerfully. 

"Novels and short stories mostly. I have a knack for mysteries, considering I, myself am one." He said with a laugh. Betty noticed how quirky he was and how he owned his angst that practically radiated off of him. They moved up a spot in line as Betty continued. 

"I wish I had that much flexibility. I write, too. Pretty much whatever I can get my hands on. It kinda sucks but it all adds up. The more I write, the sooner I can be done with this damned internship." The line began to move quicker now, and soon they only had one pink haired millennial in front of them. "Why is the internship so bad?" Jughead asked.

"Because my mother got it for me. I accepted it pretty much for the sole purpose of leaving home. They make me write the most worthless pieces and never publish my work. It's awful. Plus, they know my mom so they constantly are talking to her and updating her on my 'little progress.' I can't wait until I'm out of there." Betty said. She placed the box of taco shells on the belt and paid for them as Jughead watched her observantly.

He quickly noticed that there was more to the story than what she was letting on. Betty obviously had something against her mother based on the strained conversation he heard a couple hours earlier and what Betty had just told him. She was obviously extremely unhappy and seemed tired of her journalistic life in LA. Jughead could definitely relate.

Betty paid an overpriced $7.46 for some organic nonsense and they made it back to the apartment about ten minutes later. They walked in to hear muffled sounds and giggles coming from Veronica's bedroom and both rolled their eyes in unison. Betty started up the taco meat again as Jughead perched himself up on the sleek barstools with a coke in hand. 

Betty felt his eyes burning into the back of her as she attempted to cook some of her classic tacos, attempted being the key word. For some reason, she kept sneaking glances back at the blue eyed boy and he met her bright green eyes every single time. She was interested in learning more about him and his personality. Betty wanted to find out what hid behind that mysterious facade.

"Tacos are ready!" She exclaimed, bringing two plates of heaping tacos and rice and beans to the barstools. "I figured Archie and Veronica could eat later. They seem too distracted and I'm not about to waste those damn taco shells. I paid good money for those." She said, receiving a muffled chuckle from Jughead through a mouthful of taco. 

They ate in silence which was a common theme between the two of them, and before she knew it she was clearing both of their plates and saying her goodbyes to Jughead. 

"I better get going. I've got an early shift in the morning. Thank you for dinner though. I hope they don't keep you up too late," Jughead said with a snort and a small grin. "I reserve the right to kick Archie out at any time." Betty said leaning on the doorframe.

"Night Jughead." She said, standing awkwardly close to him. "Sleep well, Betty." She watched Jughead leave and closed the door behind him with a sigh. Any normal person would've deemed that dinner a flop due to the lack of conversation and awkwardness, but Betty was curious. 

She tried to work through her thoughts with a nice warm shower and a glass of wine, but that left her unsatisfied and slightly irritated on her bed. Betty picked up her phone and called one of the only people better at giving boy advice than Veronica. Her hometown resident gay best friend, who to no surprise, picked up on the first ring.

"Elizabeth Cooper, where have you been? Its been three days since we've last spoken, and honestly I think that's the longest we've ever gone without speaking to each other. You are moving quickly down the totem pole, my love." 

Betty laughed at the typical melodramatic greeting that she loved so much. "I'm sorry! And tone it down, you're sounding an awful lot like Alice." She said, leaning back on her headboard.

"Yikes, you're right. Thank you for bringing me back to my senses. So how have things been in sunny and beautiful LA?" Kevin asked.

"Well, this is where you come in. I'm afraid I've been set up." Kevin's gasp was audible even from thousands of miles away.

"Betty Cooper, on a date? Do tell." Betty told him how Veronica hurriedly set her up with Jughead and how things were incredibly weird between them.

"Hmm... well you're not immediately shooting down the idea of even being around him which is good. Normally you just run away at the first sign of a date. No offense my dear, but it's true." Betty laughed. He's not lying.

"You're right. I just don't know how I feel about him yet. I'm kind of drawn to him. He didn't talk much and let me talk, which is new. And I want to know more about him." 

"Well Betty, I think you know what to do. Grow a pair and ask him out!" Kevin yelled. "Just be your sexy self and he will definitely say yes. No man can refuse the beauty that is Betty Cooper." 

Betty blushed at her best friend and missed him overwhelmingly. "Thanks, Kev. I miss you. Come visit soon!" She said, receiving a groan on the other end of the call.

"I really want to, but Joaquin has some business he's wrapped up in and I really want to bring him with me." He said. Betty immediately knew what 'business' Kevin was referring to. His boyfriend Joaquin was in a gang in their hometown of Riverdale called the South Side Serpents. They agreed to cut ties with him once he turned 25, which was a couple months away. She sighed, realizing that she has to wait that long to see her best friend.

"You're a good boyfriend, Kev." Betty said. "I know, I'm the best. How's my favorite raven haired goddess?" Kevin asked.

"She's in her room with Archie. I think they're stirring." Betty heard a squeal from Veronica and the familiar laugh of Archie. "Yep, definitely stirring. I'm off to bed now. Thank you for your wonderful help." Betty said. "Of course. Don't let them keep you up and remember to ask your blue eyed boy toy out! Love you forever!" And with that, her best friend was gone, back in Riverdale with his boyfriend. 

Betty curled under her sheets and attempted to block out the sounds of her roommate about to burn the house down in an attempt to make food. Today was a long day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> Thank you for reading chapter two! I'd love to hear your feedback in the comments section. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
> -B


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty faces some hard times...

Jughead woke up at 6:45 to the sound of his apartment door closing with a thud and the smell of freshly brewed coffee. At this point, he wasn't even concerned that there was a burglar or someone attempting to rob him. It was his roommate, Archie.

Jughead put a white tank top and black sweatpants on and pulled on his beanie. He walked out to the kitchen to see a bedraggled Archie drinking coffee out of a cracked mug. His lips were stained with what he assumed to be dark lipstick and his shirt was on backwards. Jughead poured himself a cup of coffee and snorted at Archie's appearance.

"Successful night with Veronica?" He asked. Archie winked back and took a sip of his coffee. "A man never kisses and tells." Jughead raised his eyebrows in response. He knew Archie well enough to know he definitely kisses and tells. "But yes it was amazing. Jug, she's really great." He said with a tone of seriousness that was very unfamiliar to Jughead. 

"Huh. Good for you. Well, if you'll excuse me I'm going to shower. I suggest you go to bed, you could use some sleep." Jughead said sarcastically, trodding off to the bathroom. "You know I didn't get any last night!" Archie yelled after him. Jughead rolled his eyes and closed the bathroom door, starting the shower and finishing the last of his coffee. 

He mindlessly went through his typical morning routine- shower, brush teeth, get dressed and check his email- the morning routine that's been ingrained in his head. Jughead is a man of routine and simplicity, and his life reflected off of those two principles. His adult life, at least. His childhood? His childhood was the furthest from routine as it could get. 

Jughead headed out the door and walked the four blocks to work with earbuds in. He liked to pick up the morning shifts at the bookstore because those were typically the most quiet and deserted. This morning, however, was not. 

As soon as he walked in the chatter overwhelmed his senses. Apparently there was some book signing he forgot about, and people were lined up at 7:15 in the morning to meet some hotshot lifestyle author. Hipsters, he thought, assuming his normal position restocking the shelves. This day could not go by any slower. 

\--

Betty thought yesterday was long? Well, today was even worse. 

She walked out of the LA times offices with the minimal belongings she kept there and fresh blood in her palms. 

She had just quit her internship, and it was only a matter of time before she had to face the wrath of Alice Cooper.

This morning she woke up with an incredibly anxious stomach which was not abnormal for Betty Cooper, but she knew what was causing it, and finally felt the courage to face that monster that was causing her so much anxiety. So she did. But now what?

Betty pushed those thoughts down as she grabbed her favorite veggie wrap from a local food truck and made her way to her 2pm shift at the public library. To be completely honest Betty didn't love this job, but it was quiet and paid surprisingly good money. Plus, she was very well loved. She was a fresh face among all the spinster old ladies that worked there and they absolutely adored her. They constantly brought her cookies and baked goods she took home and gave to Veronica, because she had to watch her diet, right?

She stashed her pink Kate Spade purse under the counter and waved hi to Gladys and Mary, her two favorite women. Betty began shelving some young adult books when she heard a familiar voice at the checkout counter. 

"Are you kidding me? You have no copies of Huck Finn? That's a classic and you're a library so you must have like eleven or something." She turned the corner and was greeted with the back of a tall man with a flannel on and dark pants, and a gray beanie resting on his black, curly head. 

"Um, we actually have twelve copies." She said, causing Jughead to turn around. A smile spread across his face, easing the tension in his cheeks and causing his blue eyes to brighten. "I can take this one, Ethel."

She shooed Ethel off as she took her rightful place behind the checkout counter, Jughead not giving up his passionate Huckleberry Finn rant. 

"Excuse me, you have twelve damn copies and all of them are checked out? I thought hipsters didn't read the classics." He said, resting his hands on the counter. Jughead really hated hipsters, didn't he.

"Well, you're in luck. I happen to have a worn down copy of Huck Finn from my high school days collecting dust on my bookshelf at V's apartment. Come over later and you can grab it from me." Betty said, suddenly feeling very nervous. Why was she so nervous?

"I'd love to take you up on that offer, Betty Cooper. See you at 7." Jughead said with a wink and was suddenly out of her sight. 

What the hell just happened?

"He was a cutie..." Ethel murmured from behind her, rubbing Betty's shoulder supportively. Gross, Ethel. But she wasn't wrong...

Betty went through the motions of her shift that seemed extremely long and closed up at 6:15 in record time. She put her earbuds in and began the trek back to the apartment as the sun began to lower in the sky. Her music was interrupted by the shrill ring of her phone. She hit the button on the earbuds, expecting it to be Veronica or Kevin. 

"Hello?" She said. 

"ELIZABETH COOPER, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?"

Fuck. 

"Mom-" Betty could barely get a word out before her mother interrupted her and panic began to rise in her chest. Be strong, Betty. 

"You quit that damn internship I worked so hard to get for you? What the hell, Elizabeth? You are such a disappointment!" Alice Cooper screamed. Betty sat down on the steps outside her apartment complex, the warm air not doing anything to stop her shivering. 

Betty's breath became ragged as she started to block out the slew of insults her mother was throwing at her. She closed her eyes and channeled the strategies the multitude of therapists she saw in high school had given her to calm down her panic attacks, but her brain was suddenly blank and all she was able to focus on was the oxygen not traveling to her brain. 

Her hands were shaking too much to reach into her purse and grab the bottle of Xanax that was resting at the bottom of it, so she just curled her fingers into her palms as hard as she possibly could and prayed her mother would hang up. 

"Betty? Is that you?" The deep voice she was beginning to grow fond of barely broke her out of her trance as she sat, sobbing and bleeding, outside her apartment building. "Shit Betty, you're bleeding. Lets get you inside." Jughead said softly with concern in his voice. She barely noticed as he helped her up and drew her arm around his shoulder as they walked slowly to the elevator. They rode up to the top floor and walked to her apartment as Jughead tried the door and realized it was locked. 

"Betts, do you have any keys?" He asked delicately. Betty's violently shaking hands were barely able to pull the keys out of her purse and hand them to him as she stared blankly and continued to cry. Jughead got the door open in record time and led her to the couch, where he sat her down. 

"My... mom-" Betty broke out in to silent and uncontrollable sobs, further concerning Jughead. Normally in these types of situations he'd be uncomfortable beyond belief, but this time it was Betty. With Betty, everything was different. 

"Shhh, Betty come here." Jughead said pulling her into his chest. She cried until she was out of tears. "I've got you..." He said faintly, as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!
> 
> I've had this chapter written for a while and I'm not super proud of my writing in it, but after chapter four I start to get in to more of a groove!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed caring!jughead. I sure do :) I'd love to hear your suggestions in the comments!
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
> -B


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Juggie and Betty get to know each other a little better after a turn of events.

Betty awoke to the sound of shuffling and a large crash that made her jump. For a second she thought somebody was breaking in, until she heard a faint "shit" from the culprit that eased her anxiety. She checked the clock that read 3:05am and was slightly confused as to why Jughead was making all this noise, let alone why he was in her apartment in the first place. 

The memories flooded back to her- the panic attack, the hysterical crying, the dreaded phone call. She felt incredibly embarrassed yet thankful that Jughead was there when he was. If it wasn't for him she'd probably still be a mess on the steps of her apartment building. 

"Jug?" Betty murmured sitting up slowly. She saw the faint outline of curly black hair and was surprised to see his beanie sitting on the coffee table. His hair was mangled and ragged and she got the sudden urge to get up and run her fingers through it, but pushed it down as soon as it arose. He turned to face her and she sat up further at the sight of his appearance. 

Jughead's eyes were red and swollen and tears were slowly rolling down his face. "I didn't mean to wake you I'm so sorry-" He cut himself off as he ran his fingers through his mangled hair. Betty stood up and hurried to his side, sitting him down on the couch like he did to her last night. "What the hell happened?" She asked, letting her hand sit subconsciously on his shoulder. Neither one of them made any effort to move it. 

"My sister, Jellybean was in some sort of accident and I have no car to get to her and my parents are assholes and Archie isn't answering his goddamn phone-" Jughead stopped himself again as Betty's heart silently broke. She knew she had to do something. 

"I can drive you." She said before she even realized what was coming out of her mouth. "No Betty, I can't ask that of you. We barely know each other and you were so upset and I just-" Betty stopped him with the swift raising of her hand. "No, I'm more than happy and willing to drive you. I have the Mini Cooper, remember? Plus I owe you." She said. Jughead smiled at her and grabbed his beanie off the coffee table. His hand laid protectively on Betty's lower back, guiding her out the door and to the parking garage. 

\---

Jughead and Betty have been driving for about three hours now with only the low hum of classic rock on the radio. He couldn't tear his mind from the mental image of his sister lying helpless and alone in a hospital bed in the middle of Utah, and how shitty his parents are. Neither one of them had active phones therefore the hospital couldn't reach them, so they called the third person on Jellybean's emergency contact list- him. Of course he would come right away since he loved his sister more than anything. 

"How are you doing?" The sweet sound of Betty's voice startled him a bit since he'd been sitting in silence for the past few hours. "Distract me." Jughead said, his voice croaking a bit. Betty took a deep breath and let out a short laugh. "Well, just remember you asked." Jughead's mouth turned into a small grin as she began to speak. 

"My mother is the worst human I know. She's always on me about everything- my diet, my job, my health. I basically can't have anything to myself until she dies. And even after that she'll probably come back to haunt me." Betty let out a short laugh again, tapping her fingers nervously on the steering wheel. Jughead caught her gaze as she took a deep breath to continue. 

"When I was in high school, my sister got pregnant and my mother and father practically exiled her. She ended up moving about an hour away with her boyfriend so all the focus was shifted to me. Alice Cooper's mission was to make sure I didn't turn into Polly so she basically controlled me. The whole reason I took that internship was to get away from that hell that was my house, but once I moved away the phone calls just increased and I still can't avoid her." Jughead watched as tears filled Betty's delicate green eyes. Before he knew it, his hand was on hers.

She took it gladly and laced their fingers together, and didn't let go for another seven hours. 

Jughead didn't really say anything in response, just squeezed her hand supportively. If he knew anything about fucked up family dynamics, he knew that the last thing she wanted was pity. She seemed appreciative and gave him a gentle smile. 

"My family is pretty fucked up too." Jughead began. "For the first half of my life my sister was my escape. We'd always hang out together and go on adventures in the woods behind my house. We'd go down to the river and she'd always jump in first, even at five years old. She was always much braver than me. Still is. Hell, she's the bravest person I know." Jughead's voice hitched as that image flashed back into his mind. 

"She sounds wonderful." Betty said, with genuine admiration in her voice. It didn't surprise him in the slightest bit. Knowing Betty, she always seemed to love everyone. Everyone except her mother. 

"One day, I woke up and my mother and sister were gone. My dad was on the couch drinking a beer and he told me what a son of a bitch my mother was. We lost contact after that for several years, but recently we've reconnected and talk all the time."

He talked more about Jellybean until he ran out of things to say. He talked about how her identical blue eyes dance when she's happy and how she's the most daring and brave person Jughead knows. How much it hurt him that she was currently alone.

Betty reassured him that she wouldn't be alone pretty soon and squeezed his hand. He liked the way her hand fit perfectly in his and warmed his entire body. What was Betty Cooper doing to him and why did he like it so much?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!
> 
> Sorry it's been a bit and this chapter is so short. I wrote it a while ago and edited it on the plane ride to where I currently am. I'm on vacation with my family and will be for the next two weeks, so unfortunately, my updates will be a little sparse. :( 
> 
> Don't worry though! For those of you who are committed to this fanfic (the very few of you, I love you guys!) I will have a biiiiiiiig chapter for you once I get home. I promise!
> 
> Thank you for reading! I really really appreciate your comments and kudos. It means so much to me that people are enjoying the inner workings of my Bughead-wired brain :)
> 
> Also, never hesitate to contact me on Tumblr! My blog name is juggyandbetty and I'm always up for a chat. I love meeting new people and talking about Bughead! (Sprousehart too, HOLY SHIT GUYS!)
> 
> Sorry this note is so long! I'd love to hear your feedback in the comments. :)
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
> -B


	5. Chapter Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a bit! I have another week of vacation and then I'll be back to regular updates. Thanks for sticking with me!

One of the first things Jughead did when he went off to college was get into contact with his sister, Jellybean. It ended up being not that difficult since he wasn't tied to his fathers name anymore. The hardest part was going to Toledo. 

Jughead had gotten on a plane and flew to Toledo once he saved up enough money to do so. He went to their rickety old house on the outskirts of town and prayed that his mother didn't answer the door. Since Jughead is a pretty unlucky guy, she did. 

He remembers the image of her like it was yesterday- her hair was dyed a dark red color and her eyes were bright blue, just like his. She was a pretty overweight woman and answered the door with a beer bottle in hand at eleven in the morning. Just like how he remembered her. 

The first thing Jughead felt when he saw her was anger. He was angry that his parents were such fuck-ups, angry that he didn't come save Jellybean from this hellhole sooner, angry that they lived so far away. He could tell that she didn't immediately recognize him but once she did, she looked like she'd been slapped across the face. "Jughead?" She said, her eyes wide. 

Once she said his name, a tall, lanky, brown haired, blue eyed teenager came bounding to the door. "Mom, I got it..." She trailed off when she saw him and they openly stared at each other for what seemed like years, taking in all the faintly familiar features they'd desperately missed over the passing years. They cried and hugged and drove around for hours, just talking and laughing and enjoying being around each other. Then Jughead left and it was heartbreaking for the both of them, but they've consistently remained in touch. 

Now, Jughead and Betty were running into the emergency room, panic spread across Jughead's face. He got to the check in counter and was so scared he could barely talk, so he heard Betty tell the nurse his sisters name and they were soon being guided to a small corner of the ER. Around him children were crying, people were coughing, and nurses were yelling, but all he could focus on was the broken image of his sister laying all bloody and bruised in a hospital bed. 

Jughead had only openly cried a few times in his entire life- one being the previous night and the other being now. He walked slowly to his sisters side and sat down in the cracked plastic chair next to her bed. Her face was pale and bloody and her eyes fluttered open slightly. "Hey Juggie..." She wheezed out before erupting into a coughing fit. He rubbed her shoulder and squeezed her hand supportively as her coughs died down. Her gaze shifted from him to Betty standing in the doorway and she attempted to crack a smile. "Juggie's got a girlfriend..." Jellybean said as loud as she could in a sing-song voice. Both Jughead and Betty flushed a bright red but neither dared to correct her. "Im going to give you two some space. Meet you outside?" Betty said and Jughead nodded. 

Jellybean's right leg was in a full cast as was her left arm. The doctor said she had a bruised rib and a minor fracture in her collarbone. Luckily the latter two injuries were fairly minor and she was expected to be discharged within a week or two. Jughead stayed by her side as long as he possibly could before he was ushered back to the waiting room for the night. 

Jellybean had encouraged him to leave but he protested against her wishes. He wanted to stay with his sister because he loves her and no one else in her life has ever stuck with her. 

When he got back into the waiting room he didn't expect to see Betty sitting there, reading a worn down copy of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. He smiled and took the chair next to her, her gaze not faltering from the book. "Doing some light reading?" Jughead asked.

Betty looked up to find bright blue eyes staring into hers, a smug smirk on his face. Jughead's beanie had taken it's rightful place on his head, she noticed, and his eyes looked a little less swollen and sad. 

"When we left the apartment it was on the kitchen counter waiting for you, so I grabbed it and took it with me. While I was waiting I figured I'd crack it open, and I got about halfway. For the fiftieth time." She laughed. "How'd things go in there?" Betty asked, her voice taking on a more serious tone. "Jelly's going to be okay thank god. She got into some snowboarding accident and took some hard hits. She really wants me to leave." He said. 

Betty laced her fingers through Jughead's and squeezed supportively. To her surprise Jughead didn't flinch and move his hand away. Instead, he traced light circles on the base of her pointer finger. "Well, whatever you decide, I'm not leaving you here." Jughead smiled at her as their eyes met. For a moment, time was still. If she just leaned forward a little bit...

"Jughead Jones?" A deep voice suddenly broke their gaze as Betty's cheeks deeply reddened. Their heads whipped to the sound to see a doctor with a small slip of paper in his hand. Jughead stood and visibly swallowed while Betty stayed seated. "Your sister isn't accepting visitors anymore. She wanted me to give you this." The deep-voice doctor handed Jughead a yellow sticky note. He looked down at it and smiled, his cheeks flushing lightly. "Let's go, Betts." He said. He put his hand on the small of her back and led her out to the parking lot, an instinct for him now. 

\--

After a long ten hours, Betty pulled into Jughead's apartment complex only a couple blocks from hers. They had spent the car ride home in silence because Jughead had slept the entire way home. Betty had stolen glances at his sleepy face on the ride home and had noticed the moles that were on his face and how damn long his eyelashes were. She also noticed how cute he was, but that's irrelevant. 

She'd woken him up about ten minutes before they had pulled in because she needed directions to get to his place. He had groggily murmured to take a couple lefts and a right and then they were home. 

"Thank you for everything. I really appreciate it." Jughead said, smiling at her. He stayed like that for a second as she noticed him twitch a little weirdly. Suddenly those lips she had been admiring for the past ten hours were on her cheek, and they were gone a split second later. "Night, Betts." He winked, and with that, he was gone. 

Fuck. Betty thought. A crush. Just what I need.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'd love to hear what you've gotta say in the comments.   
> Thanks for reading!  
> -B


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty overthinks a lot and receives a special visitor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I did writing it!

Betty fell asleep peacefully last night, dreaming of that curly black hair she desperately wanted to run her fingers through. Her wake up call though? Not so peaceful.

Betty awoke to someone shaking her body and pulling the black and white polka dotted duvet off her bed. She opened her eyes groggily and saw the face of her raven haired best friend. Betty normally was an early bird, but not when she was given the opportunity to sleep in for once in her life. Because she had the day off work she figured she'd sleep until at least ten. Veronica had other plans.

"Betty! WAKE UP!" Betty grunted at the loud tone of Veronica and rolled over, slinging her arm over her head. "Alice Cooper is knocking on our front door!" She yelled, Betty immediately shooting up and panic rising in her chest. "What?" Betty sputtered.

"Kidding, I just needed to get you out of bed so you could tell me how your hot date with Jughead went!" Veronica said cheerily. Betty shot her a glare that meant death. Nothing scared her more than her mother.

"Don't kill me..." She said, putting her hands up in surrender. Betty sighed and rolled back on her bed. Might as well face the force that is Veronica before it gets worse.

"For the record V, it wasn't a date. I drove him to the hospital so he could see his crippled sister." Veronica laid down next to Betty on her full bed, her beautiful hair splaying across the pillowcase. Veronica is one of those people that's just naturally beautiful and Betty had noticed that from the first minute they met. She was honestly surprised she was friends with Veronica because she typically had hung out with girls that were... well, Kevin or Archie, but they had gotten along well.

"But still, that's pretty hot. You were there for him when he was all sad... I mean, more sad than he usually is. Archie tells me that he's pretty dark but funny. Like there's a pretty... challenged side of him." Veronica said. "There is. There totally is. I just have yet to figure that part of him out." Betty said. It's true, she really wanted to get to know him more. It was just a matter of whether or not Jughead was willing to share that part of him with her.

"AHA! So you do like him." Veronica said, turning to face Betty. Betty shrugged and smiled. "Yeah I do. He's different than the other guys I've dated. He is darker, and I kinda like that." She said. Veronica squealed in delight. If Betty knew her friend at all she knew how boy crazy she was. Even if it wasn't her own relationship, Veronica had a thing for boys and setting people up.

"I knew it! Veronica Lodge has done it again. And it's only a matter of time before you have little black hair green eyed babies running around..." Betty threw a pillow at Veronica's face and flushed a deep red. "BETTY COOPER IF YOU MESSED UP MY MAKEUP I SWEAR TO GOD YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LIVE TO SEE ANOTHER DAY!" Veronica yelled. That was Betty's cue to get up and start her day. No one messes with Veronica Lodge's strict beauty regime.

After a week of early morning jogs, many extra shifts at the library, and avoided calls from Alice Cooper, Betty had become increasingly anxious. On top of the looming "what the hell am I doing with my life" question that had burrowed itself in the back of her mind, things had been radio silent from Jughead.

Based on their car ride to and from the hospital and that kiss on the cheek he'd left her with, she knew that he still liked her, at least as a friend. She had Veronica on her case about him the entire week and managed to ask Archie if Jughead had mentioned anything about her, but V reported back to her with a sad "no" and then an "if he continues to ghost you I'll kick his emo ass".

While Betty had discouraged Veronica from doing that, she had to admit- she was sad Jughead hadn't mentioned her to Archie. She was starting to like him more and more, and she'd be dumb to think there was nothing between them. She had definitely felt sparks every time they touched.

Whatever, Betty thought, unlacing her tennis shoes and taking off her sweaty windbreaker. She hung it on the hook and thought to text her sister before she forgot.

call when u can pls. xo

Betty had just gone on a night time run to hopefully ease the anxiety out of her buzzing head, but it didn't work. She began to pour herself a glass of wine when she heard a voice from behind her.

"Mind pouring another glass? Im normally one for white wine, but I can settle with red."

A huge grin broke out on her face as she knew immediately who that voice belonged to. She flung herself into the arms of her best friend and didn't even take a good look at him before thinking twice. God, how she missed him.

They hugged in the kitchen for what seemed like forever before she pulled away and held her best friend at arms length. His brown hair was freshly cut and his eyes were gleaming. He had thinned out a little and gained some muscle, and looked perfect in his trademark preppy-vintage style. "You scared the shit out of me, Kev."

"Oh you know me, Betty. I have a flair for the dramatics. Now are you going to pour me a god damn glass of wine or should I do it myself?" She laughed as Kevin beat her to the job, filling the rest of her glass for her before pouring one for himself, joining her on the sofa.

"I love you and I'm so glad you're here, but how are you here? Joaquin doesn't get his deal until the end of the month, right? And how the hell did you get into my apartment?" Betty asked, sipping her wine.

"Yes, but we had this fight because I really wanted to come see you so he just sent me out here. And I tried knocking but no one answered so I just used the spare key." She opened her mouth to ask her next question but her best friend was a beat ahead of her as always. "Betty dear, you're a creature of habit. You've hidden every key in the same place since you lived at home and hid one for me to sneak in with." That's true, Betty thought.

When her and Kevin were in high school he would often need a place to crash after drinking with people down by the river. While Betty's house wasn't ideal it was his only option since she was really his only friend.

A few drinks and many dirty jokes and laughs later, Kevin finally asked the big question that Betty had secretly been waiting for him to ask the entire night. "What's on your mind? I can tell that somethings up. I've known you forever and you know how impossible it is to hide things from me." Its true. When Betty had her first kiss in eighth grade to James Rogan behind the stairwell during fifth period, Kevin literally threatened to kill her until she cracked and told him. She laughed at the memory and sighed, looking into Kevin's green eyes.

"Jughead is being weird. He hasn't reached out to me yet since that whole hospital thing that I told you about and I don't understand why! I know he definitely felt something because we held hands like forty separate times and he kissed my god damn cheek." Betty let out an exaggerated slightly-tipsy sigh. Kevin snorted and finished off his glass of wine and slammed it on the coffee table.

"Boys suck. Lets get wasted and forget all about them!" Betty never really had been a heavy drinker, but she's had a lot of stuff on her mind and she liked the feeling that minimal alcohol had on her mind so far. Why not?

"Cheers to that!" She said with a laugh. They clinked their glasses in salute and Betty let more of the fruity goodness seep down her throat. She was liking this already.

Two full bottles of wine and a couple shots of tequila later, Betty and Kevin were drunk off their asses. They were giggling like teenage girls on the couch when Betty had a drunken epiphany. "I should just call him!" Betty blurted, looking at Kevin like she was a genius. Kevin clapped his hands and gave her her phone that was sitting on the couch next to him.

She clicked the little phone icon next to the contact she was pretty sure said "Jughead", and let it ring until it went to voicemail. Betty grunted and was about to click the end button when Kevin stopped her. "Leave him a voicemail!" He slurred and Betty shrugged. It was worth a shot.

She listened for the beep and started talking. "Heyyyy Jughead, or whatever your real name is. Um, so why haven't you called me? You're just so... hot. I'd love to see more of your cute face. So call me or whatever. It's Betty by the way." She hung up the phone and Kevin immediately burst into laughter, with Betty following suit.

\---

Veronica opened the door of her apartment at two in the morning after a long day at the boutique she managed and a night out with Archie to squeals on the sofa. She set her birkin bag down on the table and made her way over to the living room to find a hysterical Betty and a very drunk Kevin comforting her. Kevin? What was he doing here?

"Well, you two are very drunk and need to get in bed. If either of you throw up on my designer sofa I will literally kill both of you." Betty looked up at her with mascara stains under her eyes and Kevin stumbled towards her in an attempt to hug her. "V, he won't call me..." Betty cried and it took all Veronica could not to sit down cry alongside her friend. She knew what this feeling was like and absolutely hated it.

"Aww B don't cry, I'll just kill him for you." Veronica said supportively which only made drunken Betty cry further. "Okay, I'm gonna need some alcohol for this." She said, taking a shot of the tequila laying out on the coffee table before getting to work. She propped Betty up on one shoulder and a passed out Kevin on the other, praying they don't drool or cry on her designer Chanel jacket.

Thankfully neither of them did, and she was able to tuck them soundly into Betty's bed. She turned out the lights and closed their door, and faced the mess that was their living room. After she cleaned up she completed her strict night time routine and headed off to bed, praying that the sound of either one of her roommates throwing up wouldn't wake her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!
> 
> YAY! KEVIN! This was seriously such a fun chapter to write. I love me some Kevin Keller <3  
> My Tumblr door is always open- its juggyandbetty if you want to take a look or chat (or both!)
> 
> Thank you for reading!   
> -B


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty makes some plans.

Betty woke up to the pounding of her head and in desperate need of some Advil, Veronica Lodge approved hangover food, and a toilet to throw up in. She opened her eyes and was partly surprised to see a passed out Kevin curled up next to her, until she realized that he arrived last night and not much happened after that- that she could remember, at least. 

She trudged over to the bathroom next to her room and pulled her hair up into a bun, checking the time on her phone while she was at it. 6:57am, and two missed calls from Polly, which she made a mental note to return later. 

Even if she was completely wasted, Betty had the constant habit of being an early riser, even after attending some intense parties in high school.

After washing her face and popping a couple Advil, Betty started the coffee pot and warmed up the stove for some scrambled eggs. While Veronica was still asleep, eggs would have to suffice as the proper remedy to an excruciating hangover. Betty strained her mind to try and remember what happened last night, but nothing was coming to her. Typically she never drank herself to the point of no memory but last night was an exception. She had a lot going on- plus, her best friend had surprised her with a visit. That was a cause for celebration. 

Betty had just put the eggs in the pan when there was a sharp knock at the door. Typically Betty would wonder who the hell would be knocking this early, but her headache was too intense to process such thoughts. Sighing, she turned the heat down on the stove and opened the door.

"Jughead?" She said in surprise. Jughead was standing at the door in a dark red flannel and dark pants, with a black tee shirt that read "Campus Bookstore" in bold, white letters. She let her eyes linger on his for a split second too long, noticing the smirk on his face. 

"Fun night, Betty?" He asked slyly, walking into the apartment and taking a seat at the countertop. Come right in, she thought. Who was she kidding, this is probably the only face she wanted to see this early. She suddenly took note of her loose-fitting high school tee shirt and old sweatpants, smeared makeup, and messy hair and cringed. Way to make an impression, Betty. 

"Yeah, I guess. My best friend came into town and surprised me last night, we drank too much wine, and I... can't remember what happened after that." Betty said, smiling at Jughead and walking back to finish up her eggs. 

"Ah." Was all Jughead said in response to Betty. She looked back at his smug smirk (a damn cute smirk, though) and gave him a questioning look. He grinned at her as she continued to cook her eggs in silence. 

"So, no offense," Betty began, spooning her eggs out on to two plates, "Why are you here? I mean, I love to see you and all, but... why?" She said, rambling a bit. Jughead gladly took the plate of eggs he handed her and began to scarf it down as she watched in bewilderment. 

"You really don't remember, do you?" He said, smirking at her yet again. Damn, he's really got to stop with that smirk. Betty was still confused and didn't remember anything. What was he talking about? 

A creaking noise coming from the direction of Veronica's room snapped her out of her thoughts. She watched as her door opened and she walked out in just a lacy, black slip from Victoria's Secret. She looked at Jughead and he seemed to have no interest in Veronica's stunning figure. His bright blue eyes were trained on Betty's. 

"Oh. Hey Jughead." Veronica said, trying to contain her own smirk. Betty shot her a signature glare that meant death and "get out of here this is not what it looks like". Jughead nodded a hello in Veronica's direction and trained his impish grin right back on Betty. Veronica retreated back into Betty's room where Kevin was still asleep. "Don't wake up Kevin!" She yelled, to which Veronica responded with a laugh. 

"Jug. What is going on?" Betty said with raised eyebrows. Jughead pulled out his phone and clicked it a couple times and began to play something. Something that sounded a lot like her drunk, high pitched voice. Betty's eyes widened as Jughead began to laugh. 

She heard herself telling Jughead how hot he was, and before she knew it, she was practically on top of Jughead, grappling for the phone. He held it above his head as she tried to reach for it. "I get it! I've had enough! Jughead!" She yelled to him, barely noticing the stifled giggles coming from the corner of the room. 

Jughead suddenly put the phone down on the table and pressed pause, looking at Betty in triumph. Her face was beet red, her stunning green eyes wide, and she was short of breath, standing next to the stool he was perched upon. He took in her beautiful appearance and he, too, was suddenly short of breath. Betty turned an even deeper shade of red before a moment of silence passed between them. 

"Betty! DO SOMETHING! Have I taught you anything?" Kevin yelled, Veronica playfully slapping him on the shoulder. Betty rolled her eyes and opened her mouth to speak, but Jughead's voice interrupted her. 

"For the record, I think you're pretty cute too. If the offer still stands I'll pick you up at nine tomorrow morning." Jughead said with lingering confidence. Betty smiled and blushed at his offer. The very offer she's been waiting for for quite some time now. "It's a date." She said with a wink. "Also, delete that message from your phone or I will make it my personal mission to hunt you down and kill you." Betty said, casting her best glare at Jughead. She was sure it didn't work because he laughed in response. "I make no promises, Betty Cooper." Jughead said slyly, that adorable smirk creeping right back onto his face. He grabbed his phone, hopped off the stool, and walked right out the door of the apartment. 

As soon as the door slammed shut, Kevin and Veronica were immediately on top of her, screaming their boy crazy guts out. "Betty Cooper you dirty whore!" Kevin yelled, pulling her to the couch. She winced at the sound of his voice, the affects of her adrenaline rush wearing off as she remembered her hangover. "Cool it Kev, I have a horrible headache." She said. No matter how unbearable her headache was, she couldn't hide her grin. She was going on a date with Jughead, the boy she liked. The first boy in a long time. 

"B, I am so proud of you. You are reaching new heights! This calls for some celebratory mimosas on me! Lets go, bitches!" Betty groaned as Veronica pulled her off the couch and into her bedroom to pick out some clothes for the day. She shut her door and rifled through her closet listening to Veronica and Kevin talk about Archie in the room next door. Betty grinned and squealed at the thought of her date tomorrow. Suddenly she felt like a teenage girl again, and she was not the least bit upset about it. 

\--

After one too many mimosas, a heated gossip session, and a tearful goodbye from her best friend (who promised he would "drag Joaquin's sexy ass out here once he got his severance"), Betty finally sat down on her bed and called her sister, who picked up on the first ring. 

"Betty?"

Betty sighed at the sound of her sisters voice and hugged her blanket even closer around her.

"Oh Polly, I have so much to tell you." Betty said excitedly. She talked to her sister about once a week and every time they both had something new to say. Sometimes it was about work, or her mother, or the new mascara she was using, but today it was about Jughead. Betty knew her sister would be elated at the idea of a boy in her life so she was practically bursting to tell her. 

"So do I, Betty. You have no idea." Polly said in the same excited tone. "You go first!" Betty squealed. She lived for these moments with her sister and ached for her to be cuddled up next to her in bed, like how it used to be in high school when Polly would come home after a night out with her boyfriend. They would gossip and whisper with only the nightlight in Betty's room keeping their faces aglow.

"Jason proposed last night and I said yes." Polly said with a dramatic exhale. Betty's entire body went numb, half with excitement and half with fear. Jason Blossom had been Polly's boyfriend since high school that the Cooper parents despised. To this day there's always been an unspoken Cooper-Blossom feud that Betty never tried to pry into. She hated that some long term conflict stood in the way of her sister and brother-in-law's happiness. 

"Oh Polls, that's so wonderful! I'm so happy for you!" Betty said, pasting on a tone of joy for the sake of her sister. It's not that she wasn't happy, it's that she was just so worried for Polly. "To answer your unspoken question, I haven't told mom and dad yet. I want to savor this feeling for as long as I possibly can." Polly said with a short laugh. Betty sighed, knowing exactly how her parents are. 

"So, what's your news?" Polly said in a more exciting tone. Betty smiled, thinking of her favorite blue-green eyes, and told her sister all about her ever-growing crush on Jughead Jones.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi!
> 
> Thank you for sticking around so far! I just got back from vacation tonight and I wrote one hell of a chapter for you. It should be up in a couple days and it's huuuge and full of our favorite ship <3 
> 
> To console all of you, we will get a few answers as to why Jughead has been a little MIA in Betty's life, I promise. But until then, I hope you enjoyed this chapter! 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I'm always available on Tumblr @juggyandbetty if you want to freak the fuck out with me over there! 
> 
> -B


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty and Juggie go on their much anticipated date!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm officially back from my vacation so here's the big update I promised you all! Thanks for sticking around thus far, and please don't kill me at the end of the chapter...

"Nude or pink?"

Betty held her two staple lipsticks in her hands and debated on which to wear for her date with Jughead. Veronica, insisting that she had to help Betty pick the perfect outfit to wear, was helping her pick her makeup as well. As much as she picked on her for it, Betty would be a nervous wreck without her best friend helping her out in the fashion (and sometimes advice) department.

"Oh come on B, branch out of your comfort zone! As much as I love you, those lipsticks are very boring." Veronica rolled her eyes and snatched both options out of Betty's manicured hands, leaving a glowering Betty in her path. "Try this instead." Veronica opened a tube of lipstick and applied it to Betty's lips, smiling when she finished.

Betty turned around and looked in the mirror, raising her eyebrows in surprise. "Red? Seriously V? This is more you, not me." Betty turned to her best friend with crossed arms, who only scoffed in response. "Red is bold and sexy. It'll have Jughead on top of you within the first two seconds of when he sees you." Betty blushed at the thought and sat down, letting Veronica add the finishing touches to her makeup and outfit.

A firm knock sounded at their front door and Veronica squealed, running to get it. Betty's stomach was a mix of nerves and excitement as she smoothed down her hunter green t-shirt dress in the mirror. She hadn't been on a date in a while- hell, she couldn't even remember the last date she went on- so she had the right to be nervous. But this one feels different.

"Betty!" She heard Jughead yell and could only imagine what Veronica was grilling him about now. She walked out her bedroom door and was greeted with the sight of Veronica waggling her finger at a frazzled Jughead and couldn't help but laugh again. "Veronica, let up. It's okay V. I can take care of myself."

Jughead's eyes met Betty's and butterflies erupted in her stomach all over again. The sight of his beautiful blue eyes made goosebumps spread across her skin. "You ready Betts?" He asked. "Yes, she's ready! I'm headed off to Archie's today so the house is empty..." Veronica said with a wink, causing both Betty and Jughead to blush a deep red. "Bye Veronica!" Betty yelled, stopping her from going any further. She took Jughead's hand and pulled him out of the apartment door, closing it behind her.

Both Betty and Jughead sighed from relief and laughed before setting off down the hallway to the elevator, fingers still intertwined. "Sorry you had to deal with that. She's very..."

"Intimidating? Terrifying? Agressive?" Betty laughed at Jughead and the freaked-out look on his face before finishing her sentence. "Fierce. She protects the ones she loves." Betty said, stepping into the elevator with Jughead right next to her.

"You can say that again. Hell, I felt like I was being questioned or something." He said dramatically. Betty hit his shoulder playfully as he squeezed her hand back, starting the butterflies back up again. Today should be interesting.

They made it out onto fourth street right as the sound of cars and honking horns engulfed them. This is part of the reason why Betty loves living in the city. There's always so much commotion which used to scare her, but now it comforts her. There's always something going on. Her subconscious tells her that it makes her feel less alone, but she pushes those thoughts right down. Her focus should be on the blue eyed boy holding her hand in his, looking around curiously. They set off towards the heart of the city in comfortable silence.

"I'm not complaining, but why so early in the day?" Betty asked. Jughead met her green eyes with a grin. "Because this is not a typical date, Betty Cooper." He said. She met his grin and smiled back, noticing the way his hair curled under his beanie. They crossed a couple more streets before facing the doors of a tiny, modern coffee shop. Jughead opened the door and ushered her inside, the smell of coffee and the din of quiet chatter surrounding her senses.

Everything was clean cut and modern but small. She saw a couple people in corners on their laptops, most likely college students, as Jughead took his hand out of hers and placed it on the small of her back, guiding her towards a small booth for two in the far corner.

Betty slid in to the white, sleek booth expecting Jughead to sit across from her. "I know what to order here. I kinda come here a lot, so just sit tight and I'll be back soon." Betty nodded and watched Jughead's tall figure walk towards the counter and take a spot in line. He wore dark jeans and a simple black tee shirt with a dark jacket on, the same one he was wearing on the day she drove him to the hospital. Her gaze traveled up his body and to her surprise, caught his bright blue eyes staring back at hers. He winked at her which caused a light blush to spread across her face, and she winked back.

Jughead raised his eyebrows at her in surprise as she watched him step up and order a couple drinks. He came back shortly with two iced coffees in hand, setting one down next to her and sliding in across. "Thanks for the coffee Jug." Betty raised her cup to take a sip but was stopped by Jughead.

He raised his cup and it took a second for Betty to realize what he was doing before she raised hers too. "To first second dates." Betty laughed, realizing what he was referring to. "To first second dates." She repeated, clinking her cup with his and taking a sip. She tasted caramel and coconut and silently praised Jughead for his taste in coffee.

Over coffee they played a game of twenty questions, initiated by Jughead, but Betty wasn't totally sure it was how you actually played. It consisted of Jughead asking Betty a million random questions ("for my memory", he said) about her favorite color, animal, food, etc., until they'd both been through two cups of coffee and the lunch rush began to swarm the small cafe.

"Let's book it Betts." Jughead said, taking her hand and leading her out of the small cafe and into the hustle and bustle of the city once again. "Know enough about me yet?" Betty said with a smirk.

"I'll never know enough about you." There was something about the way he said that that made Betty's heart flutter. It was so simple yet it meant that he wanted to get to know her further.

Maybe I'm reading too far into it, she thought. Either way, Jughead Jones was doing something to her, and she couldn't get enough of it.

"When am I going to get to know more about you? You spent the entire morning playing some rigged game of twenty questions with me, so I think it should be my turn." Betty and Jughead walked hand in hand, their fingers intertwined. "Don't mock the twenty questions master. That's rude and I do not appreciate it."

Betty scoffed. "Master? Whatever you say, Jug." Their playful banter left a smile on both of their faces and they continued to walk in peaceful silence. Betty began to notice that there were fewer shops and Whole Foods' and more signs of nature, which meant they were approaching the outskirts of town.

"Where are we headed? I'm all for surprises but my curiosity is beginning to get the best of me." Jughead just smiled and continued to lead an interested Betty Cooper further away from Central Los Angeles.

Suddenly, Jughead came to a stop and made a show of examining his surroundings (which Betty laughed at, of course) and took a hard right, pulling her through a couple trees and face to face with a babbling river.

It was surrounded by lush green trees, a rarity in LA, with no sign of any nearby dog-walkers or joggers. It should make Betty feel peaceful- hell, it looked like the most beautiful place she'd ever stepped foot in- but she was only haunted by memories from her past. Memories that she'd tried to push away, but they would always come flooding back.

"Betts? You okay?" Jughead's voice was filled with concern and it made Betty's chest fill with both equal parts affection and panic. Her heart would always burst every time Jughead called her Betts, or expressed any amount of concern towards her and her well being, but panic, because what if Jughead stopped liking her for her twisted past and intense emotional baggage?

Push it all down into a place he'll never know.

"Yeah sorry. Just overtaken by the fact that I've never seen any place like this within miles of the city. What is this place?" Jughead and Betty sat down on the grass right up close to the riverbank, Betty continuing to push down her anxious thoughts.

"It's where I go to write, or when I need a quiet place to think." Betty looked at his big, blue orbs and wanted nothing more than to kiss him. "Write? I didn't know you were a writer."

Jughead smiled and look towards the river, the most serene look on his face. This was definitely a new side of him that Betty had never seen before. "Yeah, I've been writing ever since I could remember. I was always the overachiever when it came to writing sentences about our favorite things in elementary school." Betty laughed, knowing that all too well. She was the same kid throughout her entire school career.

"Is that what you want to do with your life then?" Betty asked, locking her fingers with Jughead's. They were both sitting cross-legged, their knees touching, and in that moment, Betty Cooper couldn't think of anywhere she'd rather be.

"Yeah it is. It's not working out too well, though. I've sent a couple things to some small publishers before but I've gotten nothing in response. It's extremely disheartening, but that's life I guess." Jughead looked back at Betty who smiled at him. "You'll get your big break, Jug. That I just know."

"Thanks Betty." Jughead sighed, prompting Betty to lean her head on his shoulder. She nestled into the warmth between his neck and shoulder blades and soaked in the view in front of her. Before she knew what was coming out of her mouth, Betty began talking.

"When I quit the internship I had it was because of my mother. I wanted to be independent and break away from her for once because for my entire life, I've always been under her influence. In high school, she began to affect me so much that I was diagnosed with anxiety. I was just so... angry, and I felt like everything I did was to please her. So I started to release my pain in unhealthy ways."

Betty removed her hand from his and opened up her palms to Jughead, revealing fresh, crescent shaped wounds in the heart of her palms. Jughead let out a huge sigh and cupped Betty's tearful face. She saw the pain and caught a glimpse of the familiarity in his eyes, which is what propelled her to keep talking.

"Betty, anything you don't want to say you don't have to say. I'm more than willing and happy to listen to you, though." Jughead spoke with the most sincere and supportive tone that she'd ever heard.

"It's okay, I want to tell you these things." She took a shaky breath and continued.

"I haven't taken my anxiety medication in three years, because I eventually became numb to it. I push through my life doing everything for other people when really, I just want to live out my dreams. I want to be an investigative journalist, Juggie. I want to go around helping solve crimes and write about things that inspire me. But that will connect me right back to my mother. And quite frankly, I'm too scared. I'm scared that she'll hurt me again, and I'm scared to fail. That would be the last thing I could handle."

Her face still in Jughead's hands, tears still streaming down her face, Betty focused on nothing more than Jughead. His beautiful blue eyes that were trained on hers, the curving shape of his nose, the moles that formed constellations on his cheeks, and his lips that she desperately wanted to kiss. She was falling, hard, and never doubted for a second the trust she had just instilled in him.

"You are not your mother, and I will do everything and anything I can to protect you from her. And Betty? Nothing you will ever say or do could make me like you any less. Not in a million years." Betty's tears were big, fat, real tears now, and they were a mix of every single emotion Betty could possibly think of. But all she could focus on was the feeling of Jughead's forehead resting on hers.

She leaned up and pressed her lips to his and felt a shock immediately run through her body. He tasted of salt from her tears and faintly of cigarettes, and Betty couldn't imagine anything she'd rather taste. She pulled away and looked into the calming glint of Jughead's eyes.

"I've been waiting for that for a while." Jughead said with a smile. "So have I, Juggie."

Betty put her red-stained lips back on his in the peaceful shelter of the secluded woods that had quickly become their save haven, and silently thanked Veronica for her bold lipstick choice. It had worked after all.

\--

"Jughead," Betty began, walking hand in hand with Jughead back towards her apartment. After they kissed, they spent some time sitting by the river and people-watching. They made up whimsical stories about on-goers, from the man walking the chihuahua to the identical red-haired couple kayaking down the river. It was a day Betty wanted to relive over and over again.

"Betty," He said. "Why did it take you so long to ask me out?" She wasn't expecting it to come out that blunt (it's what she meant, though) and cringed. "I'm sorry about that. It was a dick move of me." Jughead's sincere tone made Betty's heart flutter.

"You've been forgiven. Obviously." Betty winked, causing Jughead to laugh. She looked up at the blossoming sunset and listened to the sounds of cars whizzing by, Jughead's voice interrupting her Los Angeles trance.

"I actually had a busy week. I went back home for a couple days to help out my sister. She's pretty immobile but in good spirits which isn't unlike her. Then I went to visit my dad. He died two years ago from some bad business he was involved in. It obviously didn't end well." Jughead 's face was grim and his eyes stony as he spoke. Betty stopped and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in for a hug. "I'm sorry." She whispered, curling into the crook of his neck and rubbing his back supportively.

"Thanks, Betts. I'm okay now, but I wasn't for a while. I still should've at least texted you or something." He said. Jughead took pulled away and rubbed her shoulders. Betty couldn't help but feel guilty about the way she thought of him in this past week.

"No offense, but I feel a little less alone in the problem department." Betty said with a chuckle. They continued to walk in the direction of Betty's humble abode, and she began to catch sight of it in the distance. She almost wanted to slow her pace so she could prolong their date as much as possible.

"Would it be bad if I said the same thing?" Jughead said with a smirk. They were nearing her apartment at this point. Slower steps, Betty, slower steps.

"Not at all Juggie. Thanks for telling me that, by the way. I'm really sorry to hear that about your dad but I'm glad Jelly was doing okay. She seems like a great person." Jughead's smile visibly softened at the mention of his sister.

"I'm glad she's okay too. She really scared me there, but you know that. She actually, uh, mentioned you." Jughead said sheepishly, awkwardly scratching at his neck. Betty raised her eyebrows. "Oh yeah?"

They walked up the familiar steps of her apartment building and into the elevator, Jughead pressing the button for her. The doors closed as he continued.

"Yeah. She asked if I had asked you out yet." Betty smiled, leaning on to his shoulder. "I told her I was going to but you kind of beat me to the punch." Betty looked up and glared at him. "Remember, we don't talk about that." Betty said sternly. Jughead only flashed that cute smirk at her as they walked out the doors of the elevator and to her apartment.

They both stopped outside her door and Betty prayed for anything to prolong this evening. "Thanks for taking me out today." She smirked, bringing her lips up to meet his.

The kiss was soft at first, Betty wrapping her arms around Jughead's neck and leaning into him. His hands traveled from her cheeks down to her waist, pulling her flush against him as the kiss deepened. Lips clashed on lips, tongues met tongues, and it was the most euphoric feeling Betty had ever experienced.

Jughead pushed her against her apartment door as she gasped, her back meeting the hard wood with a thud. She suddenly didn't care how much noise they were making. Betty felt Jughead's lips travel from hers down her cheek and her jawline and her breath hitched in her throat. He left little kisses as he traveled further and further down to her collarbone, where he sucked and bit at her skin. Betty gasped loudly in response, causing Jughead's eyes to meet hers.

They were clouded with lust (as were Betty's) and need but also were cast with a glint of playfulness. It should be noted that that mix was something Betty found incredibly sexy.

"Was that okay?" Jughead asked sheepishly. Betty smiled and placed her hands on his cheeks that were tinted with pink. "More than okay." She whispered, placing her lips back on his.

Suddenly she fell backwards into the open door of her apartment, pulling Jughead back with her.

"Elizabeth Cooper, where have you been?"

Her heart stopped at the sound of her name and that chilling voice that haunted her, both day and night. The only person to ever use her full name.

Alice Cooper.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, I hope you enjoyed that Bughead goodness and that not-so-welcome visitor at the end. :( 
> 
> Thank you for reading!  
> -B


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn more about Betty's mental health background.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok guys, this chapter gets pretty intense and heavy. I've added a trigger warning at the beginning, but just warning you now- it's not very fluffy. 
> 
> Also, mad props to my homegirl @raptorlily for the gut wrenching sad song recs that got me through this chapter! Love you lots. <3

TW: Attempted suicide, mention of serious depression/anxiety/mental health issues. 

There were times where it took Betty a moment to realize that she was only imagining her mom's stern voice as opposed to her being right there, breathing down her daughters neck. 

This was one of those times. 

Jughead's hand was caught around Betty's, holding her upright, her eyes wide like she'd seen a ghost. She hadn't even physically faced her mother yet, but her heart was already clenching and panic began to rise. 

Betty caught Jughead's worried eyes for a split second before she turned to face the beast that was Alice Cooper. The concerned expression splayed across his face jolted her nerves before she met her mothers matching green eyes. 

She hadn't changed a bit in the last year they've been apart. Her blonde hair was still perfectly curled, her makeup hiding any signs of age or imperfections, and her signature snarl pasted on her face, the one she saved for her youngest daughter. 

Betty noticed Veronica standing further behind Alice, her face showing signs of heartbreak for her best friend. "I tried calling, B." Veronica sounded scared, something Betty rarely heard in her tone, so she mustered up her best Cooper nod towards Veronica to reassure her.

"I was out." Was all Betty could weasel out with the panic flooding her chest. She couldn't remember the last time she felt her anxiety strangling her like this. 

"That doesn't suffice, Betty. I need more explanation." Her mother said sternly, stepping closer to her. Betty could cut the tension in the room with a knife, but that's the last thing she was aware of. 

"No you don't, mother. I'm a grown woman. I can make decisions for myself without you controlling me." Betty said, a new surge of confidence overtaking her. She had no idea what was giving her so much strength but she was ninety percent sure it was Jughead's hand in hers. 

"I'm not quite sure you can Elizabeth, especially based on your choice in men. Look at him. I'm not sure he's-" Betty cut her mother off, now anger taking over her senses. She was suddenly hyper aware of the blood flowing through her brain and her veins and felt every part of her body tense up. 

"Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of. My. House." Betty spat out, getting as close to her mother as humanly possible. At this moment, Betty felt nothing but disgust for the monster that was Alice Cooper. 

"How dare you speak to me like that-" Alice hissed. This time Betty interrupted her with a slap. 

The moment her palm connected with Alice's cheek a loud clap rang out through the apartment and everyone was stunned to silence. Before she knew what was happening, Betty felt the overwhelming feelings of a panic attack come on. 

Suddenly she was on her knees, intensely shaking, and was barely aware of a door slamming in the background before she erupted into tears. It felt like she was trapped in her own body and there was nothing she could do to stop the overwhelming sense of panic rush through her. 

She felt strong arms around wrap around her fragile frame and lift her up, carrying her towards her bedroom. She recklessly sobbed into Jughead's chest as he laid her down in her bed. His hands stroked her hair for countless minutes before she cried herself into a fitful sleep. 

\--

Jughead sat with Veronica at her pristine kitchen table, cradling a cup of untouched coffee. Veronica took a breath and met his eyes. 

Jughead was aware of how red rimmed and puffy his eyes were but he was pretty sure Veronica's were the same, if not worse. 

Seeing her so completely broken like that absolutely broke his heart. How someone could consciously make her feel that way disgusted him. 

"I don't know how much she's told you about herself. I'm guessing a lot, considering how long you two were gone... unless you were up to something else-"

"Not the time, Veronica." Jughead said bitterly, Veronica nodding and mouthing a "right". 

She means well, he reminded himself. 

"When we were in high school, she started experiencing all of this shit. The only person she ever opened up to was Kevin and occasionally me. She'd tell us how she'd always get nervous about her mom. Deep down, we all knew what she meant by nervous." Veronica's eyes shifted down to her also untouched coffee cup, her fingers fidgeting on the handle. 

Jughead gulped and nodded at her to continue. He knew how much this would hurt him listening to how much pain Betty was put through, but he needed to hear this so he could help her. 

"As it got worse, she'd stop opening up. And we could all tell when things got bad too. She'd focus extra heavily in school and make every effort to stay the hell away from her house. She'd invest herself in other things and paste on the "everything's perfect" facade, more often then she used to. Betty would also get really spaced out and she wouldn't eat for days. Eventually Kevin would talk to her and she'd tell him things were getting really bad with her family. That happened all throughout senior year, as we all sat and watched it get worse and worse."

Veronica's breath sounded ragged which caused Jughead's heart to lurch. He had a feeling he knew what was coming, and the thought made him want to throw up. 

"A few weeks before graduation day she got the acceptance letter to her dream school. Columbia. Betty was over the moon, and we all knew it was because she would finally get the chance to leave home. We were all thrilled for her." Veronica's eyes clouded over with tears as she spoke her next words. 

"After graduation we were all supposed to go to the diner for celebratory milkshakes, and Archie and I couldn't find Betty anywhere. Right after the sun had set we found her. She was at Sweetwater river..." Veronica's voice cracked, tears now rolling freely down her face. Jughead prayed she wouldn't say what he thought she would. 

"She tried to drown herself."

In that moment, Jughead felt his heart shatter. He didn't realize he was crying too until he tasted the salty tears streaming down his face. He didn't want to imagine a lifeless, broken Betty lying on the banks of a river in the small town she detested. 

Veronica reached over the table and put her hands over Jughead's and they sat like that for quite some time until he felt somewhat emotionally stable again. The thought of her trying to kill herself was too much for him to handle. He was determined to keep her from relapsing into that mindset again.

"Betty is much better now. She's definitely not where she needs to be, but she has certain happy points in her life that she counts on to get her through even the worst of days. And I think it's safe to say that you're one of them." Veronica said with a small smile. It was obviously meant to reassure Jughead that Betty will be okay, but he can't seem to distract himself from his thoughts. 

He crashed on Betty and Veronica's surprisingly comfortable couch that night but barely caught a wink of sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he was tortured by a familiar face lying lifeless on the bank of a river, her green eyes clouded with darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this was so unhappy. Lighter times ahead?  
> Feel free to come say hi on Tumblr (juggyandbetty) I love making new friends!
> 
> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think below.   
> -B


	10. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty and Jughead go on a spontaneous lunch date. We learn about Juggie's increasing hate for hipsters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! 
> 
> I'm not sure if AO3 is showing it, but this is chapter 10/13. Only a few chapters left, guys! 
> 
> Be sure to read my notes at the end, I have a question for you. Yes, you! 
> 
> Happy reading!

Jughead's eyes fluttered open at the sound of a honking car horn breaking him out of his fitful sleep. He's unsure of what time it is but he's pretty sure it's early in the morning, considering the orange light seeping through the windows. He can never judge the time in Los Angeles by the sounds of traffic because he's pretty sure LA never sleeps. There's always something going on which is extremely overwhelming but something he loves about the city. 

There's always people somewhere doing something. They're almost always hipsters, which he hates with a burning passion, but it makes him feel less alone. Which is kind of ironic considering that Jughead finds solace in being alone. (It's safe to say his loner tendencies he developed during his childhood aren't going anywhere.)

The constant hum of movement in the city is something he thrives off of. He doesn't know if he could handle a sleepy little small town like the one Betty grew up in. He understands why she left. 

From what Jughead's collected, Betty's two primary reasons for escaping that chilling small town were to leave the eerie quiet that comes with it, as well as to escape her family. Jughead has a better handle on that reason though especially considering the events of last night. 

His thoughts are interrupted by the couch sinking at his feet and while he hasn't worked up the energy to turn his head away from the pillow, he's pretty sure he knows who it is. He turns his head and sat up, Betty shooting him a small smile. 

To be completely blunt, she looked like shit. Her eyes were red rimmed and puffy which Jughead immediately assumed was a combination of lack of sleep and crying. Her hair was disheveled and the tip of her nose was the slightest shade of pink. She still looked beautiful, even in her state of heart wrenching despair. 

"Sleep well?" Betty croaked out with a short chuckle. She looked so fragile and broken and all he wanted to do was pull her into his arms and hug her as tight as he possibly could. But he couldn't do that. Not yet, not right now. 

"Not exactly, although your couch is surprisingly comfortable." Jughead murmured. "I know, right?" Betty said as amusedly as she could muster. He pushed down all of the urges to take her face in his hands and kiss her again... god, where were these thoughts coming from? They were very atypical of Jughead. 

"So, I'm pretty sure Veronica's told you about my intense mental history by now? She has these protective tendencies and she really means well, I just..." Betty curled her fingers into her palms and squirmed uncomfortably. Jughead took her hands in his and rubbed them supportively, thankful she hadn't pushed on her palms too hard. 

"Yeah, she told me. Everybody has a past, Betts, and the fact that yours is a little darker, for lack of a better word, doesn't scare me away." Betty leaned forward and kissed Jughead. 

It was short and sweet, and filled with compassion and promise. Jughead never really made promises but he'd then decided he'd do just about anything for Betty Cooper. 

\--

Betty was facing a crisis. 

She'd just made Jughead leave because she has to get to the library in a couple hours and needs some time. He'd understood of course, because he's Jughead, which was the problem. 

She couldn't drag him into her own mess of mental health. 

Betty peeked into Veronica's room and almost sighed, wishing she could sleep as peacefully as her best friend. She had to get to the library at 9am and it was currently 6:56am, so she knew she had some time. 

She walked into the bathroom adjacent to her bedroom down the hallway and turned the shower water to the hottest setting. She briefly considered taking a bath in the luxurious jetted tub she rarely used but decided against it. One of the perks of sharing an apartment with a ridiculously wealthy woman with extremely high tastes was the insistence of these luxuries. ("Seriously Betty, you'll need a tub after a stressful day at work, or if you decide to bring a man home. Oh come on, it's proven to be very helpful for me if you know what I'm saying...")

Betty peeled of the pajamas she hastily threw on this morning after waking up in her clothes and stepped under the scathing hot water. It stung but it was what she needed to distract her. All she could focus on was Jughead. 

She couldn't stop replaying that kiss that happened right up against the apartment door. She let her mind wander to what if her mother hadn't interrupted them, and soon realized the hot water wasn't the only thing making her sweat. 

She quickly shifted her train of thought to her sister and hoped she got the chance to tell Polly about what happened before her own mother did. Even though they'd been on rocky terms since Polly even met Jason, they have since talked some things out and have a better relationship now. Plus, she didn't doubt that her mother would jump right on the phone to Polly and talk about what a heathen her youngest daughter is. While it was important for Alice Cooper to uphold the perfect image, she was more than willing to do things to make Betty's blood boil.

Betty shuddered and turned the water off, deciding that the prospect of a shower got her nowhere. She wrapped herself in a towel and walked into her room and pulled a white sweater and mom jeans out of her dresser drawer. The perks of working at the library was that she had a lot of leniency with her wardrobe choices. 

She paired her outfit with a pair of brown ankle boots and decided she was going for more of an autumn vibe today. She pulled her hair up in a bouncy ponytail and layered on some concealer for her intense under-eye bags and the slight redness that still rimmed her eyes, nose, and cheeks. Betty put on a couple coats of mascara and checked her phone, an immediate warmth spreading through her chest. 

Jughead

hope u have a good day at the library, Betts. if I spontaneously decide to show up on your lunch break with a couple of burgers, lets hope the old ladies won't try to hit on me again. 

Betty laughed but also frowned, realizing what'd she'd made herself promise to. Don't let him in more than you already have. She sighed and typed out a carefully calculated response. 

I didn't quite peg Jughead Jones as the type of guy that would use the lazy form of "u" in a text message.

He responded almost immediately. 

I'm not. It was autocorrect. 

Betty scoffed. 

Your phone autocorrected to the incorrect form of a word? Ok...

Also, it's not exactly spontaneous when you tell me that you're planning on coming to see me. 

She twiddled with her thumbs and collected a couple of her belongings for the day ahead, and practically jumped to her phone when she heard it ding again. 

Leave me alone. I'll maybe see you later. 

Betty smiled, beginning her trek to work. This shutting Jughead out thing was going to be hard. 

\-- 

Betty was shelving some books in the non fiction section and was out exactly seven minutes from her lunch break. She would be lying if she said she hadn't been checking the clock every five minutes for the last hour. 

Betty rolled the empty cart behind the check out counter and bent over to grab the last couple books off of the lowest shelf. She turned around and was met with the stunning blue eyes that belonged to none other than Jughead Jones. 

He had a greasy brown bag in one hand and his free hand was fidgeting with the hem of his usual flannel. Her eyes traveled up to his trademark gray beanie and dark hair that looked a little more unruly than normal, and all of the thoughts of shutting him out immediately flew out the window. 

"Hi." Betty said slightly breathless. She walked around the counter and pulled Jughead into a hug full of unspoken "thank you"s. As much as she tried to block the events of last night out, it was near impossible. One thing she did clearly remember was all Jughead did for her. 

"Hi." He whispered in her ear. She pulled away and grabbed her purse from behind the counter before leaving the library, Jughead following close behind.

She got into the drivers seat of her Mini Cooper and started the car, hurriedly pulling away. "Okay, I've got about an hour but I can stretch it a little if I want to. I figured we could go to this park a couple blocks down if that's okay?" Betty asked, looking over at Jughead. She caught his gaze and if it wasn't for the fact that she had to drive, she would've stared into those blue orbs for god knows how long. 

Betty silently had to remind herself of her mission as she started off down the busy LA road. "Sounds great to me." Jughead said. She half listened to him tell the story of how he went to two different burger joints before deciding that all of the so called "burger joints" in the entire tri state area solely served vegan burgers. By the time they pulled into the park, Jughead was all riled up and Betty felt a familiar pang in her chest. 

The same pang she gets when she's depressed, which is more often than not these days. It starts as a deep rooted hollow feeling in the lowest part of her chest. It then floods through her entire body, taking it's course through her veins until it all consumes her. It's all she can ever focus on and she never knows where it comes from. 

This time, she has a feeling of where it's coming from. She pushes those thoughts down and focuses more on Jughead's ending rant. 

"...and that's about it. The hipsters have even ruined burgers. It's time to move." Jughead said dramatically, leaning his head back against the passenger seat with a thud. Betty laughed and cut the engine, opening the car door and leading Jughead to her favorite picnic table. 

It was only a two minute trek down a cobblestone path and into a small expanse of a few trees before they reached their desired area. There were some young couples littered around the park with small kids, and a couple of dogs that Betty wanted to run over and pet. When she and Polly were kids they knew all of the dogs in the entire town of Riverdale. They'd carry little homemade treats around in the pockets of their blue jeans and handed them out to every single dog in sight. Betty smiled fondly at the memory but felt that dull pain make it's way further up her chest at the thought of her sister. 

"In twenty questions with Betty Cooper, I learned that you're wholeheartedly a dog person." Jughead sat down and started to pull food out of the greasy paper bag. "Dog people always win." He finished, handing a small bundle of food wrapped in paper towards her. 

Betty raised her eyebrows. "Tacos? Still a great choice but you originally said burgers." Betty said, taking a bite of the greasy taco. The strong taste of taco meat flooded her senses, with a kick of spice and perfectly melted cheese. This taco was good, which was a sign it definitely didn't come from LA. 

"I wanted to save some of the spontaneity." Jughead said, once again receiving a laugh out of Betty. They sat in silence for a while and ate their meals. Betty let her mind wander to the thoughts that had been nagging her brain since this morning. The thoughts about the boy sitting right across from her. 

"You okay Betts?" Jughead broke her out of her thoughts as he placed his warm hand over hers. She intertwined their fingers and sighed, relaxing into his comforting touch. Betty knew she definitely couldn't tell him about her personal dilemma so she shrugged her shoulders and pasted on the perfect Cooper smile. 

"Just tired." She said. Jughead shot her a knowing smile but she could tell he didn't buy it. Thankfully he didn't pry further, he just turned to scoffing at some kids running around. 

"Those kids probably have names like... Petal or some shit." He said. Betty could tell he was still very stuck on hating hipsters. She couldn't help but stifle back a laugh. 

"Your name is Jughead." Jughead snorted back at her. "Not as bad as my real name."

"Forsythe?" Jughead's head snapped up, his big blue eyes going wide. "I think it's cute."

Jughead shook his head quickly. "No no no no. Not cute at all."

"I don't know Juggie, I think it's adorable. Maybe I'll start calling you Forsythe now." Betty was having too much fun with this, her smirk growing larger as Jughead's eyes grew increasingly wide. Finally he gave in and began to hit his head on the picnic table. 

"I'm sorry for making fun of your name, Petal, and for every other tragic thing I've done relating to hipsters." Jughead hollered dramatically. Betty couldn't help it anymore and collapsed into a fit of giggles. She laughed so hard that tears sprung into her eyes, and before she knew it, she was wheezing and hiccuping.

Once she recovered she met Jughead's smoldering gaze and smiled her sweetest, most innocent smile, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously. "How'd you find out?" Jughead said, a hint of bitterness in his voice. 

"Archie." She said simply, and cut Jughead off when he opened his mouth to speak again. "Legal documents for the apartment." Jughead muttered something about lawyers and let out a string of curses. 

Betty checked the time and regrettably noted that it was 3:05pm, almost time for her to get back to work. She sighed and threw out their trash before walking back to the car, Jughead close behind with a hand in the small of her back. He stepped in front of her and opened her door, a quick blush spreading across her cheeks. Before she knew it she was closing the door and barely heard the thud of it shutting before she pinned Jughead against it and kissed him lustfully. 

The warm feeling that immediately flooded her body heavily outweighed the ache in her chest, relaxing her limbs and sending her into a state of euphoria that she only felt when kissing Jughead. She felt him tense up with surprise before almost instantly relaxing into the kiss, wrapping his hands around her waist and pulling her flush into him. Betty curled her hands into his soft raven hair that she'd been desperately wanting to run her fingers through and pulled on it ever so gently, feeling Jughead emit a throttled groan. She smiled against his lips and pulled away for air, resting her forehead on Jughead's. 

"Careful Betty, Petal is still around here somewhere." Jughead said, his voice overcome with raspiness. Betty rolled her eyes and placed one final kiss on his lips, before opening the door and rolling lazily into the drivers seat. Going back into work will be hard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is unfortunately coming to an end :( I know exactly how it's going to end and I am probably going to write a sequel at some point, but the fic I'm planning to write afterwards is a prompt requested on the Bughead Fic Wishlist on Tumblr. This is where you come in. I'm on the hunt for a beta! Message me on Tumblr @juggyandbetty if you're interested. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
> -B


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiya! 
> 
> Sorry it's been a little longer than normal since I last updated. I had a bit of writers block but it's here now! 
> 
> Enjoy <3

As much as Betty told herself she couldn't let Jughead in, she was finding the task pretty impossible.

Over the course of the next two weeks he slowly broke down her walls with daily lunch dates in the park, his charming smile, and stolen kisses. Betty was falling hard.

Jughead, Betty, Veronica and Archie were all splayed about on the couch in Betty and Veronica's living room- well, Betty and Jughead were spread out on the couch and Veronica and Archie were sitting in that tiny chair they both loved so much. Veronica was in her normal spot on Archie's lap with her feet on one arm of the chair and her arms resting on the other. Archie was unfazed by Veronica's presence on top of him, his arms were wrapped around her body and he typed furiously on his phone, muttering something about candy crush. 

Betty was sitting up facing her best friend with her legs spread out on the couch. Jughead sat further down, her legs on top of his waist. Every couple minutes Jughead would try and tickle Betty's feet to which she would let out a shrill squeal and threaten to move. Even though she hated being tickled she knew she would never move anyways. 

"So, B, you have the weekend off which is definitely rare. I think this calls for a weekend getaway at one of the Lodge family homes-" Veronica began, side eyeing Archie. 

"NO!" The three friends yelled unanimously. Veronica rolled her perfectly eyelined eyes and shrugged innocently while Betty shot her a glare. Recently Veronica had made it her personal mission for Archie to meet her parents. This is pretty much the only "serious" relationship Veronica has ever had so she's been making it into a pretty big deal. 

"Come on Archiekins, it'd be fun." Veronica cooed, scooting even closer than Betty knew was possible to Archie, who's eyes glazed over at the sight of the raven haired beauty right in his lap. Betty looked at Jughead with raised eyebrows and he knowingly rolled his eyes back.

"Yeah Archiekins, what could be more fun than a weekend away with the devil and his evil mistress?" Jughead teased, sending Betty into a fit of giggles. 

She heard Veronica begin one of her perfectly crafted comebacks but walked out onto the balcony to answer the phone ringing in her pocket. She signaled a "one minute" to Jughead and stepped out into the hot California air. Betty looked at the caller ID and grinned, putting the phone up to her ear. 

"Hey Polly!" She said enthusiastically. After their Mom came to town and ambushed Betty, she called her sister the next day and told her what happened from her point of view. Polly was furious at Alice and took Betty's side, as expected, but that nagging anxiety in the back of her brain doesn't always allow her to distinguish reality from her insecurities. She has this fear that one day Polly will decide she hates Betty and turn on her for their mother. It's unrealistic, she knows, but she understands it's the anxiety talking. 

"Oh Betty, it's so good to hear your voice. Listen, I have to make this quick since..." Betty noted the excited and slightly suspicious tone in her voice and she became increasingly curious. "Since what?" Betty asked, a small smile forming on her face. 

"Well, my plane takes off in five minutes and I land at LAX at seven tonight. Hope you have room in your place this weekend!" Polly squealed, Betty squealing alongside her. "Bye, Polls. See you soon!" Betty hung up the phone and squealed once again, just for good measure. The last time she had seen her sister was her college graduation a couple of years ago. She couldn't wait to spend the entire weekend with her. 

Betty turned and headed back inside, catching Jughead's curious gaze as Archie and Veronica bantered about something. She assumed her previous position on the couch, slinging her legs onto Jughead's lap.

"B, who was that?" Veronica asked curiously. "It was Polly," Betty started, barely able to contain her excitement. "She's coming to stay here for the weekend, if that's okay with you." Betty quickly added. An expression of pure joy broke out on Veronica's face and Betty could see the "girls weekend" wheels turning in her head. Veronica had always had a special place in her heart for Polly Cooper. Ever since they'd met they had clicked, just like Betty and Veronica had.

Betty caught Jughead's gaze again and something flashed in his eyes before they returned to their normal state. He smiled at Betty and excused himself, mumbling something about needing water. She was confused at Jughead's sudden change in behavior but focused her attention back on Veronica, trying to calm the spew of ideas coming out of her mouth. Something was up with Jughead, and she was determined to find out what it was.

Betty pulled him aside a couple of hours later when Archie and Veronica were in a particularly... compromising position in the chair. She lead him into her room and shut the door gently, leaning her back up against it. "What's up, Betts?" He asked, sitting down on her bed. This was not the first time Jughead had been in her bed before (they hadn't gone all the way yet, but they still found themselves in heated makeout sessions in her bed), but she still was struck with how strange it was to see him sitting in the place where she went to break down. 

"I don't know, this is kind of stupid, but..." Betty suddenly questioned her judgement from earlier. What if she was interpreting things all wrong?

"You were acting a little strange when I mentioned that Polly was going to come stay with us for the weekend. I understand that we've only been doing what we've been doing for a month or so, and that is not a long time, so if you feel at all uncomfortable with meeting her I can totally understand that." Betty finished, fighting the urge to shove her fingernails into her palms. She hated confrontation. 

Jughead stepped forward and took her hands in his, slowly unfurling her fingers as he spoke. "I just... somethings been up with you since that night your mom came. And I don't know if it's been about her, or Polly, or... me," Jughead said, taking his hands in hers and sitting her down on the bed. "But whatever it is, Betts, you can tell me. You can always tell me." Jughead said sweetly, giving her a small smile. 

And that was when Betty Cooper broke. 

Betty burst into tears, Jughead placing his hands on her shoulders and rubbing them gently, only making her feel more guilty. She sobbed harder as he continued to comfort her. She wanted to tell him because he'd been so nice and considerate and thoughtful, and she was starting to really, really fall for him. She didn't want to tell him how she'd been feeling because she didn't want to hurt him. But she owed it to him. 

"Juggie, that night I realized that you had truly seen what I like to call 'dark Betty'." She spat, taking Jughead's hands in hers. "It's the name my therapist and I decided on in high school when my anxiety would overcome the sensible brain and I'd snap, doing things that I wasn't even conscious of." Betty shuddered and continued. "The people at school slowly found out about it and my anxiety issues, all because of Cheryl Blossom and her ties to my family. She spilled all of my secrets throughout senior year, and 'dark Betty' became known to my entire class. Everyone was disgusted with me." Betty cried harder, as Jughead reverted back to rubbing her shoulders. His touch sent a calming warmth into her body. 

"So after I slapped my mom, I was worried I would eventually scare you off or inadvertently hurt you. This side of me is so... protected, so hidden, and you had seen it on our first date. I was shocked you didn't up and leave 'Betty the crazy bitch' by then." Betty let out a short laugh and let Jughead wrap his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. She buried her head into his neck and let the final few tears she had in her escape her body.

"Do you remember at the river, I said nothing could make me like you any less?" Jughead asked quietly. Betty nodded, worried he'd say he changed his mind or something like that. "Well I meant that. I..." Jughead's Adam's apple bobbed and he almost looked as if he was going to say something else, but that look was gone in a flash and he continued. "I really, really like you Betty. I care about you, and I want you to know that I have my darkness, too. Everyone does." Jughead said, immediately calming Betty's nerves. 

She knew what she was thinking was dumb and unrealistic, but she couldn't help the pang of relief that hit her when Jughead told her he would like her no matter what. Betty reached over and kissed him, softly at first, the faint taste of cigarettes on his soft lips and then harder, pushing him back against her headboard. Betty fisted her hands in his hair which caused him to let out a guttural moan, only pushing her to kiss him further. Their tongues intertwined as they kissed each other harder, Betty's need for air becoming more and more imminent. 

She pulled away from him to catch her breath, Jughead leaving kisses down her neck and to her collarbone, biting and sucking along the way. Everywhere he touched her left a fiery, golden spark burning into her skin. She leaned her head back and allowed him more access, relishing in his touch. 

"Come on lovebirds, finish up whatever sexual crime you're committing and lets go! Polly's flight lands in a half hour, we have to beat her there!" Veronica's lilted tone outside the door startled them as they jumped apart, practically panting. Betty unfurled the fists she didn't even realize were in Jughead's shirt and they both laughed. Jughead's hair was disheveled and his eyes were clouded over with lust, his shirt rumpled at the hem and his lips swollen. Betty was sure she didn't look much better than he did.

"Why do we always have to get cut short?" Jughead whined, causing Betty to laugh even harder. They both freshened up their appearances; Betty brushed out her hair back into a tighter ponytail, added a fresh coat of lip gloss, and put a jacket on to cover up the red spots blossoming on her neck. She glared at Jughead for that one who only shrugged innocently, Betty rolling her eyes in response. 

She watched as Jughead ran his fingers through his hair and hunted for his beanie that seemingly got lost in the mass of Betty's perfectly made bed. He retrieved it with a little "aha" and perched it back into it's rightful position on his head. Betty wiped off the lipstick she had kissed onto his chin and gave him the thumbs up. "Are you excited?" Jughead asked, placing his hands on her shoulders. Betty nodded affirmatively and smiled. 

"Very."

After a car ride full of loud music, wrong turns (made by Archie, who has a shit sense of direction), and narrowly avoided questions directed Betty and Jughead, they pulled Veronica's BMW into the parking lot of LAX. They pulled right outside of the American Airlines terminal and waited about ten minutes, passing the time by people watching. Betty tapped her knee anxiously as her mind went to the worst places. What if her plane crashed? What if she suddenly decided she doesn't want to see me? What if-"

"That man, in the Hawaiian shirt, his wife just left him." Jughead's breath felt hot on Betty's neck, starting to calm her nerves. "Oh yeah?" She whispered back, scooting closer to him on the bench seat in the back so she could see who he was pointing to. "She kicked him out for being too lazy all the time. Not ever wanting to do anything except work and sit home on the couch. So, she dumped him. And now he's off to Hawaii to live the life he's always dreamed of- a life without his wife." Jughead said. Betty giggled, leaning even closer into him. He took her hand and squeezed it, meeting her considerably less anxious gaze. "She's okay, Betts." Jughead said softly, Betty nodding in response. 

She's okay. 

"OMG, it's her!" Veronica squealed, opening the passenger door and running outside. Betty barely got a good look at her sister before she did the same, and hurtled herself into her sisters arms. She took in the familiar smell of perfume and roses and buried her head in her sisters blonde hair, letting the tears out. Betty didn't realize how much she missed Polly until she was there in her arms. 

She forgot about how many times she had laid alone at night in her bed after she graduated, wishing her sister was there next to her to comfort her when things got hard, or gush about her Jason. She had forgotten about how the taste of Polly Cooper's signature chocolate cake could cure anything, and how her sister gave the best hugs out of anyone she knew. 

"Oh, Betty," Polly cried, holding her sister out at arms length. Polly was crying too, her perfect eye makeup unaffected, her green eyes holding a look of glee. She could hear Veronica's "aww"s in the background and the snap sound of her iPhone taking pictures, but she didn't care. She had her sister in her arms, and that was all that mattered. 

Polly's blonde hair was down to the middle of her back and she was wearing a simple red tee shirt and mom jeans with black, strappy wedges. It was not the look that Betty had expected to see her in, but now that she was free from the hold of Alice Cooper, Polly could wear whatever she wanted. 

For a second, Betty envied her freedom. Polly could eat and wear and do whatever she wanted. But, it passed as quickly as it came as she continued to take in the beauty that was her sister. 

Betty suddenly remembered the beanie clad boy leaning awkwardly against Veronica's very expensive car. 

"Polly!" She yelled, stepping back and revealing Jughead behind her. Polly quirked her eyebrows at Betty mischievously before fixing her gaze back on Jughead. "This is my... boyfriend, Jughead." She said. Jughead winked at her before shaking hands with her sister.  
While Polly and Betty were reuniting, Archie had put her bags into the trunk of the car so they could get out of the airport with little commotion. They ended up with Archie driving, Jughead in the passenger seat coaching him, and Betty in the middle of Polly and Veronica so they could all catch up. 

"How was the flight? I hate flying commercial." Veronica said to Polly, Betty rolling her eyes. 

"It was good, Ronnie! I slept a little and read a lot of my book, so that's good." Polly said with a smile. 

"Loving this new look, Pol!" Veronica exclaimed. 

"Thank you!" 

They continued to talk about fashion and the latest trends while Betty curled up in her sisters side. Betty watched how every couple minutes Polly's gaze would jump to Jughead and then Betty with a wistful look in her eyes. Betty would just wink which would cause Polly to chuckle and then launch back into her conversation with Veronica. She made a mental note to tell Polly everything Jughead Jones related later. 

By the time they reached the apartment the sun had almost fully set over the bustling city, and Betty was pretty sure Polly had heard enough about the high end fashion that graced these streets. Archie and Jughead lugged her bags up to the room, allowing Veronica and Polly to continue their conversation. 

They reached their floor fairly quickly, Betty throwing Jughead her keys so he could unlock the door. He caught them with ease, swiftly turning the key in the lock and opened the door, holding it open for everyone. His hand rested on the small of Betty's back and guided her inside, closing the door. 

"This is just beautiful. It makes me want to move back to the city!" Polly said, setting her purse down on the kitchen table. "Tell that to Veronica, it's technically her place." Betty said as she placed her arm around her best friend. Veronica dramatically whipped her hair off her shoulder (a typical Veronica move), Jughead faintly scoffing in the back. Veronica shot him a glare and his scoff quickly turned into a cough, causing Betty to laugh and wink at her boyfriend. 

"So Polly, I can stay with Archie and Jughead tonight if you would like to have your own bed. I am totally, definitely, more than okay with that." Veronica said, wrapping herself around Archie's firm frame. Polly smirked, shooting Betty a glance that she was pretty sure said we'll talk about this later before turning back to Veronica with a smile. 

"Thank you for the offer, but I think I'm going to stay in Betty's room tonight. We have a lot of catching up to do." Polly winked at her, causing a blush to spread across both her and Jughead's cheeks. 

Veronica wound up staying at Archie's anyways that night. 

It was just after Jughead, Archie, and Veronica had left, the remnants of two pizza boxes sitting out on the coffee table in front of them. They both held a glass of red wine and were sipping them in content silence, mulling on the days events. 

"So, Jughead. I like him." Polly began, turning to face Betty with a smile. "I like him too." Betty said, her cheeks feeling warm. 

"Betty, you can't fool me. I know you more than like him. You capital L-word him." Polly said. Betty blushed even further, remembering the matching words that she said to Polly years back about Jason. "Well, he definitely doesn't feel the same way back." Betty said, even though she knew that probably wasn't true. 

"Oh come on, Betty. I saw the way he looked at you literally all day. It was the same way he looked at that pizza he ate all by himself... which I'm now realizing is not that good of a comparison, but still." Polly said, causing Betty to laugh. "He kissed you goodnight like he capital L-words you." Polly wiggled her eyebrows, Betty only raising hers in response. 

"I mean, this is none of my business but I'm going to ask it anyways because you're my sister and you tell me everything. Have you had sex with him yet? Because you're not good at hiding the hickeys all across your neck. Those look pretty new, too..." She said investigatively, causing Betty to blush a beet red. Even with all of the teasing, she liked this new side of Polly. She seemed much happier. 

"Not yet. I had a bit of a hard time letting him in until today, when I talked things out with him. He was there when mom came and he saw pretty much all of what I was hoping he'd never, ever see." Betty said, sipping her wine. 

"Well that conversation sure went over well, then." Polly said. Betty almost spit out her drink.

"So, other than the fact that I desperately wanted to see you, there's something I wanted to talk to you about and I figured it'd be best to do it in person." Polly said, Betty's mind immediately jumping to the worst. 

As it always does. 

"It's not bad." She quickly added, relaxing some of the tension in Betty's shoulders. 

"Mom and Dad are retiring to Maryland." Polly said. 

Betty first felt surprised, then betrayed, then confused, then at ease. She couldn't believe they were leaving Riverdale after all these years, and... wait. 

Retiring. 

Betty gasped, connecting the dots. "They're going to sell the register? They can't! That's where my journalistic career was born!" She said, leaning her head back against the couch. How could they do this to her? They knew how much their small town paper meant to her.   
"Well, that's where I come in. Jason and I are going to buy the house from them so we'll be in Riverdale again, and we started talking about the Register and I know how much it means to you, so... I wanted to offer to buy the Register for you."

Betty's heart stopped, and she immediately thought of a certain pair of piercing blue eyes. 

"We have some money saved up and could definitely pull it off, but that means that you'd have to move back to Riverdale to run it. I know things are getting L-word serious with Jughead and I understand that this is a lot, but would you just consider it? I know how long you've dreamed of running this paper and we'd get to spend a lot of time together. You could even move in with us for as long as you want." Polly's face looked hopeful, while Betty's expression was completely unreadable. 

"I'll consider it, Polls. Thank you so much." Betty took her sisters hand and squeezed it. She was touched at Polly's offer and didn't really have anything keeping her here except for Jughead. Jughead. She was just starting to let him in. They'd just started officially dating, and now she was considering moving back to her hometown?

Betty Cooper had a lot of decision making to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!   
> -B


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Betty and Jughead have a much needed discussion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!
> 
> I am soooo sorry this has taken me a bit to get out to you guys. Things are going to start getting crazy because I start school again tomorrow, so I'm hoping to have the final chapter up by Saturday or Sunday. Full disclosure: I do plan on writing a sequel to Hard Feelings at some point! You'll see why in these last two chapters...
> 
> Happy reading!

Long after Polly and Betty had gone off to bed, she lied awake thinking about what her sister had offered her. 

After Polly told her about the Register, they had told stories from when they were kids growing up in Riverdale. From Betty's first day of kindergarten when she cut a chunk of her hair out with kiddie scissors and cried for days, to Polly's high school graduation party when their parents got into a huge fight over the catering. Betty had to admit it was a nice idea to be back in her hometown, especially since her parents were going to be out of there. She missed Kevin and being close to her sister, but she had a lot she would be leaving behind. 

If Polly had approached her three months ago she would've definitely said yes, but a lot can change in three months, as it did. 

Betty rolled out of bed at around eight am, surprised to see Veronica sitting at the breakfast bar looking pensive with a cup of steaming coffee in hand. She was clad in a black slip and fluffy pink slippers, her classic pearls adorning her neck. Her raven waves were spread out across her back and Betty envied her effortless beauty. 

"What are you doing up this early, V? I thought you went off to Archie's last night?" Betty teased, pouring herself her own cup of coffee before taking a seat next to her best friend. She spoke in a soft tone in an attempt not to wake her sister still peacefully asleep.

"I could ask the same of you." She said, avoiding Betty's question. Betty's eyes narrowed but she didn't ask further questions. Veronica rarely opened up as she wasn't the type for "deep feelings", but when she did it was on her own terms. Betty figured she'd just let her best friend be, and if she wanted to tell her what was on her mind then she could do it on her own accords. 

Betty sighed and turned to face Veronica, resting her head in her hands. She contemplated telling her what had been consuming her mind for the past night. It would feel good to get it off her chest and get a second opinion. Polly was a little biased, after all. 

"What's going on B? Trouble with lover boy?" Veronica asked concernedly. Betty looked up at her best friend and sighed again. 

"I have some decisions to make... swear you won't tell anyone, okay?" She asked. Veronica stuck out her pinky, locking it with Betty's and giving it a shake. "I swear on meat lovers pizza and Ryan Gosling."

Betty laughed, remembering the promise they'd made to each other when they first moved in. They had spent the day unpacking and pushing around plenty of boxes and had collapsed on the couch with a meat lovers pizza (something Veronica would never admit to anyone other than Betty) and La La Land. They had spilled their secrets throughout the movie (as well as their musings about Ryan Gosling) and when they ended up in hysterical tears at the ending, they created their signature pact. They reserved it for special, dire situations, so Betty knew Veronica wouldn't tell. 

"Last night after you left Polly gave me some news. My parents are retiring and moving away, leaving the register in their wake. Polly's moving back into their house with Jason and she's offered to pitch in and help me buy the register from them." Veronica's expression was surprisingly calm. She took one sip of her coffee and looked Betty dead in the eye. 

"I know for a fact that you've always dreamed of running your own paper. I think you know that if you held back for me I'd cut all ties with you so you'd be forced to go." Betty laughed as Veronica took her hands in her perfectly manicured ones. "You're falling in love, Betty. Even if you didn't eyefuck each other across the room, I would still be able to tell."

"Oh please, V." Betty made a wild gesture to the chair sitting in the living room and Veronica just winked. 

"He looks at you like you're the greatest person alive- which, aside from Shonda Rhimes you are. You don't even have to say it, I can just tell. He's what's keeping you from going back to Riverdale." She said, taking Betty's hand. "I take no offense to that by the way. Veronica Lodge encourages people to live their dreams." She said with a flourish. Betty laughed but didn't feel it, instead she curled closer to Veronica, scooting their stools together and leaning in to her chest. Veronica wrapped her arm around Betty and sipped her coffee. 

'What should I do, V?" She asked weakly. Veronica sighed lightly and rubbed Betty's shoulder soothingly. 

"You used to hate it here. You hated the hustle and bustle, the crowed streets, the city lifestyle. But overtime you've come to love it and I think that's because you've also come to love someone here. As much as I wish I could make this easier for you and as cliche as this sounds, I think only you can know what to do." 

Veronica was right. Only she knew what was best for herself. There were multiple pros and only a few cons on her list, but the biggest con is what makes this decision so difficult. The bright eyed, dark haired, beanie wearing con that outweighs just about all of her pros. 

They sat like that until Polly came out of her bedroom and silently poured herself a cup of coffee, sitting next to Betty on the stools. 

"I think we should drive out to the beach today. It's beautiful and I think all of us- especially you, Betty- could use a day to unwind." Polly said, casting a thoughtful gaze at her sister. Betty smiled weakly. Maybe it was a good idea on Polly's part. Betty has always loved the calming sound of the sea and the way the warm sand felt beneath her toes. Hopefully it could have a positive impact on her decision making. 

"Polly is right. I will never pass up an opportunity to show off some of my hottest bikinis. I'll call the boys, we'll leave at eleven. Get ready, ladies!" And just like that Veronica was running off to her bedroom. Betty could already hear the flirty tone she reserved for persuading Archie and rolled her eyes at Polly, heading off to her own bedroom to get ready. 

Betty laid the few swimsuits she owned out on her bed, ultimately deciding on a high waisted bikini set she had gotten at Target on a shopping spree with Kevin. The top was a dark peach color with white flowers on it, and the bottoms were simple black. She liked the way it fit her in all the right places. She put on a pair of light wash jean shorts she reserved for beach trips and a white button down, leaving the buttons undone. Betty let her hair sit on her shoulders in slept on waves, remembering how she liked the feeling of the sea breeze in her hair. She didn't bother with makeup and went off to the kitchen to make sandwiches. 

An hour later, Betty, Polly, and Veronica were heading out the door and into Betty's car, stowing the beach bags and chairs in the trunk. On the way over to Archie and Jughead's Betty let Veronica and Polly gossip while she got lost in thought. She briefly contemplated telling Jughead her dilemma and let him weigh in on the decision, but ultimately decided it wouldn't be a good idea. Betty knew he wasn't the kind of guy that would act selfishly and tell her to stay in LA but she still decided that this should be a decision she should make on her own. 

As soon as Betty pulled up outside the boys' apartment building, she saw Archie run out with a bottle of sunscreen and a barely there tank top and clamber into the backseat of the car next to Veronica and Polly. Jughead opened the passenger door and sat down, giving Betty's hand a squeeze. 

How the hell was she supposed to make this decision? 

"Seatbelt on, Arch! No fighting back there or else I'm splitting you two up. I'm looking at you, V." Betty said, taking a glimpse at the backseat shenanigans as she merged on to the highway. Polly was in between a bickering Archie and Veronica and looked mildly uncomfortable. Betty chuckled to herself before focusing her gaze back on the road.

"Everything okay babe?" Jughead asked silently. Babe. That was the first time Betty's ever heard him call her babe in the entire course of their relationship and her heart lurched. She decided it was her new favorite name to be called by Jughead. 

She smiled weakly. "Yeah, just thinking about some stuff." Jughead didn't press further and instead slid his hand into her free one. They sat like that for the rest of the forty five minute drive, the din of Archie and Veronica's chatter drowning out her thoughts.

\--

Betty's toes were curled in the sand, her blonde hair fanned out on the towel underneath her. She was spread out, letting the warm sun tan her body, and was very much aware of Jughead's presence next to her. He was sitting up on a chair with a murder mystery in one hand and Betty's hair curled in the other. The brush of Jughead's fingers in her hair lulled her into a state of relaxation, the calming sound of the sea providing a backdrop. Archie and Veronica were all over each other in the ocean and Polly was grabbing some food at the snack sand. Betty figured she'd better bite the bullet and get the hard part over with. 

"Jug? Can I talk to you about something?" She asked, propping herself up on her elbows so she could get a better view of his face. Jughead set the book down and motioned her closer to him. "I'm all ears. What's up?" He asked calmly. Betty didn't want to do this to him but she knew that it'd be better to tell him now.

"Last night, Polly told me that my parents are moving out and retiring, far, far away from Riverdale. She's moving into their house with Jason and she offered to buy the Register from them for me. I think I'm going to move back home." Betty watched as Jughead's expression shifted into one of sadness. She knew him and she knew he was trying to fight it back for her sake, but he was failing desperately. 

"Juggie, this isn't the end of us," she said, tears filling her eyes. "This isn't the end, okay? I want to do long distance. I can come back here and you can come visit Riverdale. This won't be the end." Betty was crying now, and curled into Jughead. She felt him kiss the top of her head gently. 

"Are you mad?" Betty asked weakly, looking into Jughead's blue eyes. 

"No, of course not Betty. I'd never be mad at you for something like this. It's something that's really good for you and while it makes me sad that you're not right with me, we can make it work. Like you said." Betty nodded. Jughead pulled her into a gentle kiss, his hands cupping her cheeks. Betty knew, in that moment, that things would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! 
> 
> Hope I didn't kill you with Betty's decision; things will work out in the end. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!   
> -B


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> https://www.tumblr.com/blog/juggyandbetty

The truth is, Jughead was mad.

Anger was his first initial reaction, right after those dreaded words had left Betty's rose colored lips. He was angry at himself for letting himself get so close to someone and for a split second, he was indirectly angry with her. Jughead quickly realized that this was Betty he was thinking about, and he immediately felt guilt and sadness seep into the pit of his stomach. 

He had never felt a love quite as strong (or a love at all) as the love he felt with Betty. Her blonde hair, bright green eyes and curious smile was the blood running through his veins. He didn't know if she reciprocated the feeling and that absolutely terrified him, but he did know that he wouldn't let this one get away. 

She lay in his arms in the dead of night and he knew she wasn't asleep. Her back was rising and falling gently, his hand stroking her back. She seemed relaxed and content but on the inside, Jughead knew she was a bundle of nerves and guilt. Over the span of the next two days they had talked about the specific subject of Betty moving home at every opportunity they got, as much as he would've loved to avoid it. 

Between the arguments and the kisses and the tears, they had both come to the conclusion that Betty needed to do this. That was the first thing Jughead had said after he heard the news, much to Betty's protest. After all, he only wanted what was best for her. As much as it killed him to have her so far away, he knew he would never be able to live with himself if he was the reason she passed this up. 

As Veronica had reassured them many times, there was Skype and FaceTime and "something called the cell phone", and they could find "new ways to spice up their relationship", but it still didn't feel the same. 

"Tell me not to go."

She said it so quietly that Jughead almost missed it. He gulped and took a shaky breath. 

"Betty, I can't do that." She curled into him and his touch softened around her as he raked his hand through her hair. Jughead never thought he'd be one to cherish these tender moments, but he thought of every one as one of their last for the foreseeable future. 

"I know." She sighed. "I'm just... starting to think this might not be a good idea." Betty croaked. "I don't want to leave you." She whispered. The feeling is mutual, he thought. Jughead knew this is what Betty needed. He wanted to best for her, of course. 

"You're not leaving me baby. I'll come visit, you'll come visit, we can talk, text, and do all of the technology things I hate." Betty chuckled. She nuzzled further into his arms and he ignored the sinking feeling in his stomach and prayed, to whatever god he believed in, that things would work out. 

-

The next few days flew by in a frenzy of cardboard boxes, trips to goodwill and corned beef sandwiches from Betty's favorite deli on Main Street (the one place that was safe from vegans, much to Jughead's delight). Before Betty knew it, she was saying goodbye to her best friends outside of her, now old, apartment. 

Betty and Veronica stood facing the contemporary door to unit 411, arms wrapped around each other sentimentally. "You know, even though I'm not the one leaving this place, I still feel as if I'm the one saying goodbye." Veronica said dramatically, dabbing at her eyes with her always handy monogrammed handkerchief. Betty heard Jughead scoff and quickly turn it into a cough before Veronica heard him and she smiled inwardly. 

These were the moments she was going to miss when she was gone. 

"I'm going to miss this place, V." Betty leaned her head onto Veronica's shoulder and held back her tears. "I'm going to miss you, B. Do me a favor and check in on my parents from time to time, okay? They say they don't need to be 'checked in on' but they really do." She said solemnly, kissing Betty's tearstained cheek as she nodded. Betty was sure that if she tried to get any words out now, she'd burst into sobs. 

"Ta ta for now, best friend. I'll take care of Jughead for you." Veronica whispered, squeezing Betty extra tight before letting her go. Veronica stepped back so Archie could step up next to wish Betty goodbye. He pulled her close as she sank into the familiar touch of her once crush but now best friend, who she admittedly wished she spent more time with. She pushed down her pang of guilt and stepped back, letting a sobbing Veronica and sad Archie wave her goodbye.

As soon as the elevator doors closed Betty and Jughead off from Archie and Veronica, she let her guard down. Jughead's arms immediately closed around her as sobs engulfed her body. Those people, that apartment, this city had been her home and she was just starting to get used to it. To feel fully comfortable and happy. And now, she had to up and leave it again. 

This is too hard, this is too hard. She knew she needed to be strong and that this was a very conscious decision, but she underestimated how difficult the actual leaving part would be. 

Betty thought about leaving Jughead in about an hour and began to panic. 

She watched as the elevator went down a floor. Floor 3.

"It's too hard," She wheezed, Jughead whispering into her hair. 

Floor 2 .

"It's okay, baby, just breathe..."

Floor 1.

The elevator doors opened to a mildly concerned looking milennial couple stepping in as they were stepping out. Betty felt Jughead lead her to his truck (because of course Jughead drives a truck) and open her door as she mindlessly buckled herself in. Jughead hopped up into the drivers seat and handed her a small, blue, ever so familiar pill. 

She took it with the waterbottle she kept handy and knew it would take a couple minutes to start to kick in. The best thing about xanax was it's speedy reaction times. 

Betty watched Jughead merge onto the highway and sighed, looping her hand in his. He looked over at her with a look of concern and she smiled the most she possibly could. "What's wrong? Aside from the obvious, of course." Jughead said with a dull, almost comforting laugh. 

"I'm just counting down the minutes until I have to leave you and I have nothing grand to say." Betty said, looking into his baby blue eyes and savoring every detail. "You don't have to say anything at all, Betts. And it never has to be grand. You know me, I'm the furthest it gets from grand." He said, squeezing her hand. 

A couple minutes later they pulled into the parking lot of the airport and Betty watched as Jughead paid the five dollar fee for the parking garage. They walked into the airport hand in hand, as Jughead rolled her small, pink suitcase behind him (the rest of her things were shipped to Riverdale yesterday). 

Since Betty was prepared and Veronica was the queen of the iPhone, as she had reminded Betty, Jughead, and Archie many times, she had her boarding pass ready on her phone. All she had to do was get through security, and that is where Jughead had to leave her. 

They stopped right outside of the lines forming at the metal detectors, pain seeping into Betty's chest. She buried her head into the crook of his neck and he stroked her hair. She soaked in every feeling- the way his fingers raked through her golden locks, the firm grip his arm had around her waist, the strong beating of his heart in his chest. 

Jughead wrapped his other arm around her waist as she pulled her tear-stained face from his neck. "This is not goodbye, it is simply see you soon." Jughead said. Even though he had a smirk on his face, Betty could hear the pain in his voice. "That is quite possibly the most cliche thing you could've ever said."

He pulled her face to his and she kissed him fiercely, emotionally, and powerfully as if it were their last. She didn't know, or care, who was staring at the odd couple kissing next to the black tape. All she cared about was Jughead's lips on hers. 

Jughead pulled away and rested his forehead on hers, breathing heavily. 

"I love you, Betty Cooper." 

"I love you more, Jughead Jones." The words slipped out of her lips like she'd been saying them for the past twenty three years of her life and a smooth feeling of calm spread throughout her heart. She raked her fingers through his hair, kissed his cheek, and told him she loved him once more before taking her pink suitcase and stepping into the line for security. 

Maybe this would be okay. 

fin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We did it, guys. 
> 
> Thank you so much for sticking around and reading this fic. Things got rough towards the end, but I'm glad you all stuck with me. 
> 
> As I got to the final few chapters of this fic, I realized that my writing has improved immensely over the course of writing Hard Feelings. Improvement is fantastic, but I lost my motivation to keep writing these chapters because I was so upset with how I wrote the previous ones. That, and real life responsibilites, are the two prime reasons why it took me so long to get this damn update out. Now that I'm writing this authors note, I'm so glad I got it done. 
> 
> I'm also a little sad to be putting my first Riverdale multi-chap to bed for a little while. Like I've previously said, I will be coming back with a sequel at some point (considering I destroyed my own heart while writing this chapter), but I'm not sure how long that will be. Until then, I have a really exciting NEW fic that I will definitely do a better job of updating. I'm very excited to see that fic unfold, so I hope you stick around for that!
> 
> My final thanks to my girl @raptorlily for helping me push through this last chapter and giving me A+ advice, as always. You are the best. Along with RL, many thanks to @rubyventure, @cherlynne, @diokomen, @findingbetty, @mothermaple, and @SRLoftis (along with plenty more!) for being such loyal commenters on my chapters. Your feedback and reactions are truly what kept me going!
> 
> Thank you, so so so much, for reading.   
> -B

**Author's Note:**

> Hi!
> 
> I hope you liked chapter one! More to come. 
> 
> Thanks for reading!  
> -B


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